Buzzards on the patch

The weather was fantastic today, blue sky and lots of warm sun. I had already been out with the westies first thing, and so after doing a few jobs in the house I was out again wandering round the patch.

There was very little on the ponds of the Thacka beck reserve, I counted 5 moorhens and 3 Mallard just about visible in the sedge.

There was a couple of juveniles sharing the water with adults

And one of the adults

During the setting up of the reserve quite a bit of tree planting was done including a fair amount of Rowen

The trees are still quite young but are bearing a lot of fruit this year, all good feeding for the birds.

I slowly made my way up to the flash area, and soon picked up a Buzzard which seemed to have just lifted from near the remains of the flash. I watched it until it drifted off over the M6. As you can imagine due to the severe persecution of Buzzards in our area I was delighted to see this bird.
     However things where to get better, as I scanned the Electric pylons I picked out another sitting on a pylon within the Newton Rigg land, (this bird really must have a death wish). As I watched, it lifted off and headed down towards the flash area, and just as it was about land in the field, unbelievably a third Buzzard came up to meet it. I have never seen so many over the patch in years. I lost track of one but did follow one of the two, which finely headed off towards the Beacon.

A few distant shots of the one that headed for the Beacon.

 

It was great to see them again,I hope they can stay free of guns and traps!!!!.

And lastly little misty just after I had sheared her, this is the first time I have given the westies a hair cut myself.