A Second Visit to Wallasea Island

21st November 2025

Just two weeks after my first visit of the winter and this time to try my luck with the Red-breasted Goose and and hopefully spend some more time with the Barn Owl. The goose tends to be associating with a large flock of geese including Greylags, Canadas, Brents, Barnacles and a couple of Egyptians in the general vicinity of the cattle coral, so thats where I started. On the way I found a very smart 1st winter male Stonechat.

The Red-breasted Goose was reasonably close, but as expected I was looking straight into the sun. Unfortunately, getting round the sun meant more than doubling the distance so I took a couple of shots from the coral, with one showing the size comparison with a Brent Goose.

Now time to take up position for the Barn Owl to appear, but we were distracted by a Peregrine Falcon harassing the local flock of Feral Pigeons. It then got into a clash with one of the local Kestrels and once they all calmed down the Peregrine dropped into the field and started to eat its prey. You can't see the pigeon ..................

..................but in this shot you can see some feathers in its bill.

At that point someone came walking down the lane a little too close for comfort, and so it took off with its prey to find a quieter place to finish its meal.

Its now almost owl o'clock and right on cue the Barn Owl emerged from its hiding place and sat on its favourite fence to survey the scene before setting off. Luckily the sun was still up in a cloudless sky so possible to rattle off some shots on two passes.

Well, Wallasea Island never disappoints.

Also good to meet Stephen Piper and have a catch-up  with Debs and Tom.