UK is OK

A few days back in the UK. A scan of my sister's garden in the Chilterns, north-west of London, yielded eighteen species of birds. Of note, the Lesser Redpoll (Acanthus cabaret) - with its red breast and head spot - a new species for me, and a recent species for science (as it was previously considered as a browner sub-species of the Common Redpoll, A. flammea, now confined to Scandinavia). I thought this was a rare sighting so far south, but I met a couple of birders in Kent who had also seen them in their gardens. I also picked up the UK sub-species of the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus rosaceus) and Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula pileata). Overhead eight Red Kites flew together, looking out for the food which the neighbours leave for them their gardens.

Eastwards to Kent, home of my friends John and Neil - and some birding on the snowy coast.

At the Swale Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppy (Sheep Island) there is a 'raptor watching' mound, raised above the reeds. I was told that at the end of the day I had a good chance of seeing Short-eared Owls hunting. I waited in minus temperatures, and was instead rewarded by a Merlin (Falco columbarius aesalon) flying by - my first ever clear view of a long-time 'bogey' bird. Not only that, it is my 500th bird in the Western Palearctic - something to celebrate!

As night began to fall, and I was near frozen, I drove out of the reserve. As I crawled along the ditches, scanning the reeds, something caught my eye. White, but not the snowy white of a gull - a more ghostly white. And past me gently floated an owl - a Barn Owl (Tyto alba). Next time I take a decent camera.