Today I wasn’t keen on going for a run.  It was raining and my injured Achilles still didn’t feel great but my daughters Viszla Vincent needed to go out and my wife Jo insisted.  Rather glumly I went but half way round I accidentally scared up a Short Eared Owl.  These are pretty rare anyway but even rarer for this part of the New Forest.  This was the first one I had seen in this location in the 35 years of living here.  Half an hour later, armed with my favourite wildlife kit, with the sun starting to break through I found him again.  I hope he stays for the winter but I don’t think this habitat will give him enough food so I expect he will move on.

But before you go, many thanks for brightening up a rainy day.