Friday 6 February 2015

You'll need to see one of these......

before you see one of these.....
Present on the patch since 23rd December at least two SEO's but almost never seen in the daylight. I spent the time between Christmas and New Year trying to justify some sightings by non-birders and saw or heard them but only after dark. Since then it's been the same pattern so unless you have night vision don't bother bringing a camera. This shot was the first time in a month I'd seen one perch and despite the daylight appearance it was almost dark 17.09 on the 4th (camera pushed to 12800 ISO 1/25th sec at f5.6 for those of a technical bent, more grain than Kelloggs even after some removal).
Why they haven't read the book and only hunt after dark is anybodies guess but I think food supply is so abundant they haven't been forced out in daylight, even by the bad weather.
Interestingly I was chatting to a lady recently returned form Deesside (Scotland) and she said the SEO's up there had developed the same nocturnal habit however due to vole shortage had taken to Dunlin as their staple diet!

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