I went for a walk today Pt. 3

September 6th 2024

Sorry, yes, still going but I'll try to end it here. We can finally get to the crux of it today, why all the semi-secrecy? 

I was heading for the second gate, along the almost flat part of the track where there is a field on the right, today with sheep grazing in it and a rising bank of grass, up to a hillside covered in pine trees of all ages and mixed varieties. This is the area I usually see Meadow Pipit, Stonechat and more recently, Whinchat which were a first for me only last year. So far though this year the numbers generally have been down apart from Whinchat. 

There's a mud bank on further ahead where a LOT of Sand Martins nest but I have a feeling they've gone now.

As I was walking I had noticed a few Ravens way up in the corner and in hindsight, I did think I'd caught a glimpse of something else, probably a Buzzard. I usually hear and see a couple of Ravens up here but I hadn't seen an "unkindness" or flock before.

By the time I'd almost reached the second gate, I was taking notice and watching them with the binoculars, I'd counted eight so far, seemed like a lot 

I was watching the birds and walking when, luckily, I glanced left up towards those trees where they were hanging out.

Dropping out of the trees and heading towards me was a very big bird!

Took me a few moments to realise what I was seeing, a White-tailed Eagle, a youngster.

Pursued by a couple of Ravens, the bird flew by just ahead of me, heading out over the water and NE-ish. I couldn't believe my luck. I have seen them on a couple of occasions before but never this close.

Same bird, same shot just cropped closer, the first shot isn't cropped at all.

I have to admit to muttering to myself, "I can't believe this", I was snapping away and watching this beautiful bird head off over the trees to my right. I have still got 52 shots to work through after dumping the dross! 

(I won't be sharing them all)  I do remember reminding myself to back off with the lens, I've attempted to get so many in-flight shots where I am zoomed way too close to the bird to actually follow it so, I backed off to try and make sure I was getting the full bird in the frame.

I'm pretty amazed to be honest, the camera was set up right, the light was good, I almost forgot to zoom back in again for some shots! 

Ok that's enough. I got over fifty shots in the first minute! Just as well I'd set up multiple shooting. Sometimes it all just works out.

So I watched as he or she headed away over those trees and turned back to the Ravens.

I have just literally, I hate the way that word is used these days, had a revelation! I was clicking through the shots of it disappearing over the trees, when I noticed it looked a bit tatty. Found a better shot, it's not tatty, it's radio tagged, I think.

If you look closely on the back looks like a tiny aerial sticking up. It's probably possible to track this bird and follow it around.

Meanwhile, back with the Ravens ......

And, believe it or not ........ a second White-tailed Eagle dropped out of the trees right towards me!!!!!!!!! 

If you look closely at this one, it has more white tail feathers and is paler around the head, flabbergasted! All within one minute! 

It felt like longer, looking back but the evidence is in the photo data.

Just look at those wings!

This next shot was the first one at exactly 10:08, all of those above, and more were taken within one minute! Amazing.

It was this next shot that alerted me to the tagging on both birds.

This second bird, for its own reasons, turned towards me and flew almost directly overhead, maybe 100 ish feet up, not high at all.

I've left this shot as taken, to show my inability to track and pan with a bird but also that it was so close, it was harder to track anyway. Below is the same shot but cropped to show that eye! 

Phew! The site had an issue as I was trying to load that one! Yesterday I had just clicked Post when the site had a "moment" thought I'd lost it all but no. 
I'm a bit wary now! 

As I'm typing this up, I'm also browsing through these shots for the first time and some of these as it passed overhead have me stunned. 

I'm going to post this, for now, scared to death site collapses. Does anyone else think that last shot the bird is smiling or laughing? 

There really is more so, I guess I'll work on a Pt. 4  and thank you for watching and all the comments.

Pt. 4 - The Finale is now available