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I went for a walk today Pt. 4

Scozmos
10/09/2024 10:54

Today?

September 6th 2024 Slight smile

Possibly the great finale? Sorry it's been a lot of images and waffle but, I had a fab day and I do like to share that experience, the White-tailed Eagles experience was just something else. Thumbsup

So. Where was I?

That second Eagle had just flown over my head....

     

I was almost over on my butt trying to photograph this bird as it flew right over me Laughing

   

Speechless? I've seen three eagles up here before over two and a half years or, the same Eagle three times but always at distance! 

So. Now what? All a bit of a et down now!
The sun was still shining and it was a beautiful day so I thought I'd carry on to the trees and see if the path has been opened up again by the forestry work. 
A wonderful experience but that was it .. finally Wink only the Ravens left to watch and photograph.
I set off to end the walk, deciding to try the track back through the forestry work but.
I had a chat with a farmer up at the gate, the path hadn't been cleared at all so, after putting the world to rights for a few minutes, I started back the way I'd come, dying to get home and see what I'd actually managed to photograph.
A lot of people ask "did you get any good photos?" when they see the camera but, of course, you don't really know until they're on a bigger screen.
I could see someone walking towards me, a lady in all the right gear for a good walk so we chatted about the path around the reservoir, the weather and oh, there's an Eagle! I'd been facing back to the same area and the bird that had flown off over the hillside, the second bird, was now flying back along the hilltop, closely escorted by the Ravens.
I loaned the lady, who was visiting from Somerset, my binoculars while I grabbed a few more shots. More???? ;)
   
I was walking slowly back down the path towards the corner, watching and photographing the activity over the hillside.
You can just make out the green wing tags on that bird above.
I could not believe that the bird had returned although they had flown off in opposite directions so maybe back looking for the other?
And there it is! Both birds, back over the same area I'd seen them with their Raven escorts
   
It was like something out of the Battle of Britain.
I was now just trying to get shots of the Eagles together or the Ravens having a go at them although they just seemed to be escorting other than chasing them off.
They flew off NW-ish, over the hills again, I think they had just been trying to pair up again?
The ravens were gathering back in the trees again, probably for a debrief Laughing
One seemed to enjoy a victory roll before settling.
       
They are great fliers.

And so, the excitement over, I started trudging homeward. I was now walking in circles, head swivelling through 360 degrees...well, almost. 

Back through the gates, back at the fallen tree by the burn ......

A Stonechat. I'd seen a family here recently so I hung around watching and waiting for a while.

       

As I headed on, I saw another bird join this one further off, typical.

A quick chat with a couple I meet from Forfar that I meet from time to time up here and I was off down the track, I tend to walk fast on the return, getting the exercise part of it.

I spotted a Cormorant fishing near the shore, I usually see a few here.

Onwards, the Rosebay willowherb had gone over and was now seeding heavily in the breeze, floofs everywhere.

   

A small group of Canada Geese flew up the water at low level.

I'd seen a few butterflies on my walk, Peacocks, some whites, a Small Tortoiseshell stopped long enough for a photo.

I charged on, made it to the car park finally, had a last look around, you never know but the final sighting was a very obliging Pied Wagtail in the car park, barely moving away as I approached.

I'd seen young birds over on the dam earlier.

So, that was it! Finally. 11:35, back in the car. I'd set off at 08:14. I great walk, great photo opportunities and the sun shone the entire time. What more could I have asked??

Thank you for all the comments and putting up with the sea of images, I cut out a few for this one Sweat smile

Who knows what might appear next?