Close encounters of a LEO kind

The heavy overnight rain had weakened by dawn, but it was still necessary to don the wet-weather gear to go out into the recording area. The hoped for grounding of migrants was modest to say the least, but not without its highlights. In the trapping area a very close, head-high owl, was flushed from a sallow bush. It alighted some 40m away in full view, looking at me with blazing orange eyes and raised ear-tufts - a Long-eared! A couple of hours later a Woodlark flew south, tail-less in silhouette and yodelling of call. A hat-trick of highlights came courtesy of a late Common Whitethroat, that stayed loyal to a particular bank of brambles, although I didn't see it until my fourth attempt. No two days are ever the same here...