Little Owl at North Boarhunt.

Monday 14th August 2023.

The Little Owl was some distance away and so getting a sharp photo of the bird was going to be difficult. But hey, it was my first one of the year.

I went out tonight in search of the Little Owls at a farm near North Boarhunt and came away with the species on my year list. The showery rain had died away leaving behind a dry, mild and still evening; just right for trying my luck for the Little Owl where birding pal Andy Fisher had success earlier in the year. I was even joined by a couple of local birders armed to the teeth with long lens cameras, though I didn't recognise them.

Not bad in seeing two Owl species around this farm. The tall conifer is where the Barn Owl flew into and the smaller tree in front of it is where the Little Owl was first seen.

On the way there, a flock of at least a dozen Red-legged Partridges stood on the pavement and roadside on the Southwick road. It didn't take too long to park up in the car park below St. Michael's Church, overlooking the Farm on the opposite side of the road. Two birders were already there, waiting for the Little Owl to show, but it took until 8.30pm for the bird to be seen. I saw something interesting in a tree behind one of the buildings and realised it was the Little Owl and the bird then flew and perched on the smaller of the Buildings. But it flew off before any of us could get a photo.

Left, a Wood Pigeon joined the Little Owl, right, on the chimney pots behind the Buildings.

After a no-show of around ten minutes, the two other birders called it a day and drove off. Just a few minutes later, unbelievably, a Barn Owl flew in and landed in the tall Conifer and out of view. Sadly, that was the last I saw of it; but at least the Little Owl gave prolonged, but distant, views as it perched on a chimney top on one of the Farmhouses. I grabbed a few record shots of the bird before I left for home, but using my old Panasonic Lumix Bridge Camera, I was hoping some of the photos might be a little usable.

While we were waiting for the Little Owl to show, a flock of Red-legged Partridges flew into the Farmyard, while overhead, there was a healthy number of Swallows flying over. A Chiffchaff was seen briefly in the hedge opposite and flew over our heads and landed in a nearby tree to round off a successful evening.