Local birding: Brockholes Quarry - 10th March 2008.

I cannot recall ever seeing a Barn Owl as dark as this in the UK, but does this bird fall within the range of extreme variation in female alba or could it be a contender for a guttata/intergrade?? The photos should enlarge if you click on them. I have thus far looked at over 230 photos of 'alba' Barn Owls on the internet taken in England and have not seen anything approaching this bird.

Other highlights include 6 Sand Martin on No1 Pit, a delightful pair of adult Med Gull 14:50-15:00 and a fem/imm Merlin over the main pool at 16:15.