Wednesday 16 April 2008

Not much to note on my way in to work this am, a few HERRING GULLS and LESSER BLACK BACK GULLS were at the college sports field, and a WILLOW WARBLER sang in the grounds. In the afternoon I went and watched the tractor finish ploughing the field at migrant alley, hoping for a migrant Wheatear, but none showed, just 20 or so PIED WAGTAILS and a couple of SKYLARKS, I wonder if they had nested in the field? As I sat and waited I saw a KESTREL hovering above, then another joined it a bit further away, as I watched it hover I caught sight of a COMMON BUZZARD going over, nice one Kestrel and Buzzard. It got even better when a few minutes later all the corvids and Wagtails went crazy! I scanned the sky and found a PEREGRINE FALCON! It came in low swooping at the ROOKS and JACKDAWS, calling - Kek Kek Kek - as it did so. I dont think it was seriously hunting, more like a bit of practice. Three raptors in one day is pretty good going on my patch, but a fourth appeared ! A SPARROWHAWK flew acroos my garden later in the afternoon. Now where's that Hobby !

I caught this fox napping in the wet woods- it took me 10mins to creeping up on him!
I couldn't get any closer as there was an expanse of water between him and me

Peregine, great record for my patch


chasing the corvids



It was around for a few minutes causing havoc.




off it went into the blue......................





...............................and back again






ploughing at migrant alley







4 comments:

Mike said...

I think I may have said it before, but this is some patch you have down there Warren, lovely shots of the fox and to catch the Peregrine, very nice.

Simon said...

Great photos Warren. Lovely fox, and welldone with the Peregrine!

Steve said...

Fantastic!!! Great shot of the fox inparticular...but the Peregrine...WOW!

Warren Baker said...

Thanks for the remarks guys, I do work the patch intensely, so it keeps up the incentive when something unusual turns up. The poor days outnumber the good days, but thats all the fun of it!