A March Visit to Wallasea Island

8th March 2025

It won't be long now before the Short-eared Owls leave Wallasea Island to go back to their breeding rounds in northern England, Scotland and Scandinavia, so time for a quick visit before they depart.

Still fairly quiet on the reserve, but there were some Reed Buntings along the trail, but no males singing yet.

Also plenty of Brent Geese still around with some movement on and off the reseerve.

Harriers were very scarce today with just one male Marsh Harrier flying over Pool Marsh.

So now on to the owls. A Barn Owl showed very briefly before going to ground and then flying off so only a couple of very poor record shots.

The single Short-eared Owl didn't do much better being very distant for most of the time, and only posing once on a post before flying away, never to be seen again.

But the stars today were the Sky Larks that were waking up to spring with some birds even singing from the ground.

And then there were plenty of their famous song flights from on high until they plummet to earth like a stone.