More habitat lost in Norwich and some Owl action on the Heath!

Every Sunday (unless it's raining!) Linda and I have an early breakfast and drive the short distance to the Harford Park & Ride Car boot sale. It really is a terrific place for a bargain: today's star buys included a Barn Owl nesting box and a vintage Alcock Aerialite centre pin reel. In the past I've bought guitars, amplifiers, books.... even fossils!

Learning from previous experience, I always take a camera with me: to the west of the Park & Ride is a belt of deciduous woodland that is a breeding site for several species of warbler, as well as both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers: Buzzards and Red Kites are common visitors and we've seen Oystercatchers, Little Egrets and Sparrowhawks fly overhead..

Today as we arrived a pair of Green Woodpeckers were flying over the trees, 'yaffling' continuously: the cause of their anxiety soon became apparent as the sound of chainsaws shattered the early-morning tranquility. By the time we left, several large trees had been felled: I fear the worst....

Last night was the peak of the Orionid meteor shower, so (arriving home from a dinner party at midnight!) I thought I'd watch out for a few. In the event I only managed a couple, but two Tawny Owls (both males) and a Barn Owl were calling close by for half an hour: Linda and I need to get the nest box up ASAP! The star cluster is the well-known Pleiades or 'Seven Sisters': they're a splendid sight at this time of year.