Chiltern Birder

I haven't been out and about much lately and most bird observations have been small brown jobs sitting on wires. No kites seen at all in July and even the swallows have dissapeared from their usual perch. This evening did bring one break, rounding a corner I saw a little owl perched on a fence post. I stopped and it regarded me with an expression of surprise for the best part of a minute before flying off. I have seen them perched on that fence before, perhaps the occupant of the adjacent farm house likes to keep in touch with Mr Potter.

Pulling out of the station car park last week I saw an albeno blackbird feeding on the verge. I have often seen blackbirds with one or two white feathers but this was totally white except for some black feathers in the tail. There may have been some other odd black feathers but as I was negotiating a junction at the time I couldn't pay it the attention it deserved. I have kept a look out but haven't seen it again. During June I have seen one red kite over Latimer and on a drive to the Welsh borders through the Wendover gap didn't see a single bird of prey until we sited a buzzard near Ludlow. The garden is now very quiet with the main visitors being juvenile robins. I will stop feeding when my present stocks of bird food are exhausted and restard in the autumn.