Osprey Time

Wednesday 16th September 2026

Thorney Island

I’ve had surprisingly few opportunities to see an Osprey locally this year, so today I decided to take matters into my own hands and headed down to Thorney Island in the late afternoon, timing my visit for around high tide in the hope of improving my chances.

The plan worked rather well. An Osprey sat on a post in the Great Deep area, visible from the eastern outlook. There was just one small problem: it had clearly decided that today was not the day for showing off. It remained firmly attached to its post throughout my stay, and despite my best efforts, I never saw it fly.

Still, an Osprey is an Osprey, and it was good to get a decent view of one.

The Burgh

On the way home, I decided to make a second stop at The Burgh, where I hoped to track down a Grey Partridge. It was approaching dusk, which seemed a good time to try for this notoriously elusive bird.

Once again, the plan worked. I found a single Grey Partridge in a field at the top end of the track from Peppering Farm, and it showed well for as long as I was there.

Two elusive birds in one afternoon - although one was considerably more cooperative than the other!

New species for the 2026 Year List:

191  Osprey

192   Grey Partridge