Sorting out the images from this trip is ending up to be quite a marathon for various reasons. After a month, I have only partly completed day 2 but I have taken a few to highlight from the day which was spent in the Buzzard Hide.

We were collected at 06.00 hours and deposited at the hide about half-an-hour later after a short walk in the wellies provided across a partly flooded frozen field. The hide overlooked a close-cropped grassy area and rough grass into the far distance. A few large fish were staked out. chopard replica  As with all of these hides, it was glass-fronted.

Nothing happened for a while but then a lone Buzzard flew in and perched on a nearby dead tree and stayed there surveying the bait.

The usual complement of Hooded Crows soon arrived

and one or two Caspian Gulls

all taking advantage of the bait.

This forced the Buzzard to land and cautiously start to feed.

Very amusing activity from the crows as the Buzzard muscled it's way in - hublot replica they continually annoyed it by pulling it's tail or wing feathers.

A flock of around 8 Tree Sparrows were around on and off.

and a ringtail Hen Harrier was distantly quartering the scrub to the left of the hide

A male hen Harrier was showing in the far distance and then totally surprised us by suddenly appearing right in front of the hide and flew over the top. A couple of quick shots, unfortunately not pin sharp but the best I have ever managed of one of the most beautiful of birds'

While bright and sunny until midday, heavy cloud then set in, at which time more Buzzards came in but flight shots were impossible in the poor light.

This hide was rather odd - I lost a complete card of shots because they were too soft, and this was after using both cameras. I can only assume that there was a fault in the glass front to the hide where I was sitting and I only noticed this after viewing the shots on the computer at home. Quite a disappointment. Shots taken to the side were fine - one of the disadvantages of photographing through glass.