1st July '11 Birds of Prey.....

Let me firstly wish you a Happy July.

Yesterday I didn't see anything that I haven't reported on before, so I left Darren alone over the Mere to walk around. At the Clayhanger Marshes  he spotted 32 Lap wing and 5 Gold Finches, with yet another sighting of the elusive Kite.

Later in the afternoon I met up again with Darren and we spotted a bird of prey. I took many distant photos of the bird and when we got home and examined the photos  more closely with our guide books, it was a Kestrel.

 

                                    Kestrel (zoomed in a lot)

"Kestrels are usually the most easily seen bird of prey, but they are in decline. It is a day hunter. they  hunt small mammals,beetles, lizards,earthworms and small birds." RSPB.

Today we walked over the Mere just after 10 a.m, and it was pretty quiet. I spotted a Buzzard and it landed in one of the trees, spooking a Magpie. It then flew off again, but we kept it in our sights as we carried on walking. I saw several  lots of Ringlets, Meadow Browns, White Butterflies and Burnet Moths.

Darren called me over as he had seen the Buzzard land in the tree again, he was still at some distance, but I  managed to get some shots. I do apologise for the quality of photos today, but with such a distance between us and the birds of prey being so high up in the sky and the sun casting shadows, I was lucky to get the photos at all.

                                                                                      Buzzard before he landed (zoomed in)

                                                                              Buzzard just visable in the tree

"Buzzards are one of the most common and widespread raptor birds of prey.  They have a lifespan of 25 years, and a wingspan upto 41/4 ft.. They catch small mammals and eat dead meat like roadkill."RSBP

At least five minutes after we saw the Buzzard fly away again we saw the Kestral. We think this is a different bird to the one seen yesterday, as this bird didn't have a funny wing which  we noticied on the photos.

                                                                                  kestrel hovering (zoomed in)

Looking up to see both birds flying, gliding and diving in the same area was truly amazing.

The Mere as so much to offer and I always leave thinking I am very lucky to be witnessing the sights, the sounds and the beauty of it all. I also end up very knackered  too, but its worth it.