Owls. Everyone likes owls.

Sheerness is shit. Minster is shit. Leysdown is ultra shit. No two ways about it, Sheppey is a dump. It is just shit. Apart from the big flat empty bit at the bottom with owls everywhere.

That bit is ok.

I went there today.

Capel Fleet was predictably good. First birds were an adult and two young bewicks swans with a group of mutes, followed by a flock of around 40 corn buntings. I have a lot of time for corn buntings, really underrated things. From the mound we had at least six marsh harriers - two each adult male, adult female and juv types - but there were probably a whole load more. Only one hen harrier, a distant ringtail, and a single common buzzard sat on a distant post. No smaller raptors apart from kestrels.

The Harty Ferry Inn was closed, which was a bit shit, cos I like it. Had a quick potter round the area though, and while scanning through a group of thrushes I heard a waxwing going over. I was unable to locate it though and never saw the thing, which rather takes the shine off what should be a decent find.

Star bird was a short-eared owl that hunted right up to the mound as we returned and then along the reeds and grass by the road as we drove up to the top. All told there were three, maybe four short-ears in the area. I know there are a lot of them around this year but you can never get tired of a good owl - always great fun to watch. I bet even the most bitter, cynical, miserable birders, the kind of walking scrotum that moans about how everything was better when nobody knew about the hobby and that no birds these days are worth getting out of bed for let alone walking down a street, secretly love short-eared owls. We all do.

The weather turned as we reached Shell Ness, so plans for a quick look on the sea were abandoned with only 11 common scoter and a great-crested grebe on the list. No snow buntings. Bastards. Had to turn to sanderlings to provide the small-cute-white-things-on-a-beach fix.

Probably the last post of the year. Is this the one where I'm meant to talk about lists a lot? Yeah? Shit.

Er.

Flat list is on 59. Target was 60. Not bad going since July.

That's it. I've not counted up the year list.

Oh go on, another owl picture can't hurt.