AE, not A&E

So yet another low pressure system pushes through and a certain globe-trotting angel appears at gravel pits across England on the back of it. John Marchant nipped down to Lackford at lunchtime, scoring 9, whilst I held out for the predicted arrival at Livermere - sure enough, by 3pm the news came through and after a post-work record-breaking dash, Arctic Tern (129) now graces my list - and 20 of the sumptuous beauties at that! I believe my text to Mr Mills may have included the word bitchin'. NB: I would have found 'em, Pete, had they chosen to do what they never do and appear at the weekend - predicting from my desk then hitting the tarmac at the first available opportunity was the next best thing though!

A casual glance at the sky then paid off as a typically Corvid-harassed Short-eared Owl hove into view, my 3rd non-motorised one of the year (this one being entirely self-found, Pete!). And having been greeted on my arrival by a hunting Barn Owl, I finally got directions to the regularly-mentioned 'stunted oak between the 2 plane trees' (easy to find - when you know where to start looking!) for a 3-owl evening, thanks to the resident Little Owl (130).

What's the post title all about though? Well for the infidels among you, AE = Arctic Tern in BTO 2-letter code. The potential irony of ending up in A&E in pursuit of AE didn't escape me (again I find myself thinking back to those quiet Abu Dhabi dawns and wondering if a gentle cycle over to the Mushref Palace Gardens, via the back streets, of a Saturday morning is any worse than - or even remotely comparable to - running the weekday evening rush-hour gauntlet down the A134...). Other post title options included "Livermere or Die" [all hail Jonny Rankin].

Percentage of target to date - 84%

Distance cycled - 266.1mls / 428.2km

Latest addition - Little Owl (130) 24 April