SEO and LEO

I went along to Prestwick Carr with Holywell Birder last night for a look at the Short Eared Owls. After locating the crowd PF pointed out a juvenile SEO sitting on a fence post in the field in front of us. It sat there preening for the whole time we were there, go to Cain’s blog to see a video of it doing just that.

Whilst another group of birders checked the field to out right, a pair of very noisy Willow Tit chased each other up and down the hedgerow. A few Bullfinch were also moving down the hedge.
Not long after we were signalled to come down to the next field. Thinking that a hunting SEO had been spotted, I was surprised to look through ADMc scope and see a Long Eared Owl well camouflaged in tree.
When I looked away from the scope I was expecting the LEO to be deep in cover and almost impossible to see with the naked eye, like the birds at Saltholme in the winter, but instead its was quite easy to pick out once you got onto it. The orange eyes gave it away really.

It was a shame we had to leave before the owls began hunting but at least now I can say I have seen both SEO and LEO together.