Rail-less

Every time Jack enters the Gully or Plantation, he seems to come out with another Long-eared Owl!!! He's caught another three since my last posting! At least three Short-eared Owls are however staying well away. Still over 1,500 thrushes about and the Shorelark, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and Black Redstart also linger. There has been a 'fall' of Snow Buntings with a flock of 170 at Leogh and 100 on Rippack and with a few small parties elsewhere giving a total of 350. Sifting through the 120 Greylags, I picked out three European Whitefronts, three Pink-feet and a single Barnacle Goose. An adult Iceland Gull in south harbour was the only other arrival of note. Up North, Jack flushed a Water Rail, which promptly flew out to sea and was immediately snatched by an opportunistic Peregrine! The Moorhen was also found dead today but this had been 'catted' but the corpse won't go to waste (well not all of it) as Jack loves studying and drawing such morbid remains "Wow! Moorhen feet!"

Lubo is a fair size now and can clear fences with ease, which is also what Storm did today by stepping over the (sagging) strand of electric tape, which was supposed to be restricting the ponies' grazing, into a fresh grass area. As the tape was still a few inches off the floor, little Bijoux couldn't make it and had to stand on the 'correct' side looking mournfully on as the big white(ish) glutton stuffed himself - Oh, the perils of having short legs!!!!