Last week we had a super day at Pulborough Brooks last week. Lots of geese, mostly Canada but others mixed in. Snipe, Lapwings, SItlduck and Swans on the various ponds. Lots of Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Green and Gold FincIts. White Doves and Wood Pigeons too. We were also lucky enough to spot a squirrel building its drey up in the trees. There was a Red Kite. I have a little weakness for raptors - the way they soar or stoop. The sheer size of some them. So here is a Red Kite just soaring over the river valley. The sun was glinting off his feathers, the reds were really red. You could see that swallow-like tail clearly through binoculars.
However, that's not what this post is about. It's what happened on our way home. We'd had a great day but traffic was a bit heavy with road works so we struck out across country and got stuck behind a slow vehicle. My other half knows this part of the world well so just veered off left into an even quieter country lane. Suddenly something dropped into the middle of the lane. Of course we came to a halt and this is what we saw
A buzzard had just stopped in front of us (about 20 m away). It clearly had taken something and was about to check it out. We watched for quite a few minutes. Please note I am taking photos through a dirty wind screen, so apologies for blurry photos. Every so often the buzzard checked its surroundings, it probably heard. something off to the right
I think we could stayed for hours but unfortunately not long after this shot was taken a car came up behind us. Rather then have car horns blaring we moved forward slowly so as not to frighten the buzzard too much. It did try to take its prize with as It flew off but it was too heavy and in the next shot you can see its claws are empty. It's nice a view of its feathered trousers. It disappeared into woodland on the left. Maybe it came back after we left. The thing is that without that series of coincidences we would never had this amazing encounter. You just never know what you will meet. Anyone else had any encounters like this? I'd love to know how (un)common these encounters are.
Keep well and all the best
Beachwalker - My favourite occupation as I love exploring my home county and photographing its beauty.
Thank you for the comment, we hadn't thought of that. I had put my camera away and so when the bird dropped in front of us I only had my phone. This our first sight of the bird and its prey (cropped so you can see what was just a small dot). We interpreted this as the buzzard having taken the squirrel in the trees to the left, it couldn't carry it away and dropped its burden in the right hand side of the lane. What do you think? It was only after a lot of one armed struggling in the back that I managed to get my camera out and take better photos. A lesson for the future :)
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Beachwalker 66 said:Last week we had a super day at Pulborough Brooks last week. Lots of geese, mostly Canada but others mixed in. Snipe, Lapwings, SItlduck and Swans on the various ponds. Lots of Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Green and Gold FincIts. White Doves and Wood Pigeons too. We were also lucky enough to spot a squirrel building its drey up in the trees. There was a Red Kite. I have a little weakness for raptors - the way they soar or stoop. The sheer size of some them. So here is a Red Kite just soaring over the river valley. The sun was glinting off his feathers, the reds were really red. You could see that swallow-like tail clearly through binoculars.However, that's not what this post is about. It's what happened on our way home. We'd had a great day but traffic was a bit heavy with road works so we struck out across country and got stuck behind a slow vehicle. My other half knows this part of the world well so just veered off left into an even quieter country lane. Suddenly something dropped into the middle of the lane. Of course we came to a halt and this is what we sawA buzzard had just stopped in front of us (about 20 m away). It clearly had taken something and was about to check it out. We watched for quite a few minutes. Please note I am taking photos through a dirty wind screen, so apologies for blurry photos. Every so often the buzzard checked its surroundings, it probably heard. something off to the rightI think we could stayed for hours but unfortunately not long after this shot was taken a car came up behind us. Rather then have car horns blaring we moved forward slowly so as not to frighten the buzzard too much. It did try to take its prize with as It flew off but it was too heavy and in the next shot you can see its claws are empty. It's nice a view of its feathered trousers. It disappeared into woodland on the left. Maybe it came back after we left. The thing is that without that series of coincidences we would never had this amazing encounter. You just never know what you will meet. Anyone else had any encounters like this? I'd love to know how (un)common these encounters are.Keep well and all the best