Autumn Birds

The past few days have been rather grey and damp.  Yesterday afternoon, as I was walking home along Craven Road, a kestrel flew over me and then veered off over the Royal Berkshire Hospital.  A small flock of pigeons that happened to be going the same direction, turned and flew off in the opposite direction.  This morning I caught sight of a kingfisher speeding low along the River Blackwater near Farnborough North, the first one I had seen in several months.  Just a few steps further along the path I heard a lot of cawing and looked up to see a large bird, probably an owl, being mobbed by a group of crows.  It was larger than the crows but smaller than a grey heron, and had rounded 'fingerless' wings, a bulky body and a blunt head.  It flew off at tree-top level before I could get a good look at it.