A couple of really good birds over the reserve this weekend with a female Red-crested Pochard on Aveley Pool being the rarest as it was actually the very first for the reserve. The Spotted Crake was seen again and a Little Stint, Hobbies and Spotted Flycatchers made for interesting birding.

However prize bird goes to the Long-eared Owl that David Smith found this morning being mobbed by a Lesser Whitethroat.

It showed quite well in a hawthorn in the woodland till about 1130 before shuffling further in and out of view. Long-eared Owls breed fairly close to the reserve and given the early date it is quite likely that this bird is a wandering local juvenile rather than an early continental immigrant.

Great shots by Bob Cooper and David Dent

31-8-14