Blogs

Yesterday was one of those strange days where I had several interesting sightings, despite not actually heading out onto the reserve. The excitement began when driving out of the reserve on route to a meeting at our Orford office. As I drove past Scotts Hall Cottage , my eyes were drawn to a stunning...

Compared to some of the glorious winter weather we've experienced recently, today wasn't too inspirational, but the team took the opportunity to get out "in the field" anyway. A quick check first of the Elmley livestock: all the cattle have now gone until the spring, with only the sheep...

Our local red kites have been fairly active again in the new year, and the mild weather has allowed them to continue with one of their favourite food sources; worms! Many farmers are ploughing up stubble fields in preparation for spring crops and the local kites and buzzards (along with quite a few common...

Going west from London, either M4 past Reading, or M40 near Oxford, there is plenty of raptors flying high above the motorway. Driving is not the most comfortable position for bird id I could imagine, and I am rather a bad birdwatcher, but considering rather broad and apparently fingered wings, I used...

The weather over the past few days has, by & large, been fantastic! Gloriously sunny days, light (or even no) winds, crisp & clear. On Saturday afternoon, the visibility was so good that, looking through my 'scope from Kingshill Farm, I could pretty much count how many people (12 - 15 I thought...

With no sign of "our" rough-legged buzzard since the Bank Holiday Monday and with the gale force winds of the ensuing few days, the news of a bird on Saturday at Northward Hill reserve made me think that it was likely to be the Elmley bird relocating a bit further west. Venturing over there...

Well, here we are in 2012 and returning to Elmley after my Christmas break, I very much had a sense of deja vu, although on this occasion it wasn't just the RSPB website that I couldn't access - I couldn't connect to the internet at all! We traced the glitch to a faulty dongle and having...

The reserve was exceptionally busy yesterday; bright blue skies and sunshine all the way, although it was blustery and colder than of late. Our bird sightings have been fairly consistent over the Christmas and New Year period. The large flock of around 500 Fieldfares are still feeding on the meadow on...

After a really busy day at The Lodge yesterday, we are lighting the bonfire and preparing for this afternoon's Winter Wonderland walk. It's very mild and quite bright today, so not quite the perfect setting for the winter walk, but I'm sure it will be great;it's already fully booked and...

Hi everyone! This morning I woke up and while I was inspecting the weather outside my windows I saw a raptor landing over a feral pigeon while a big flock panicked around. I live in a 6th floor, so by the time I got my camera ready to shoot and some clothes over me; the raptor had disappeared from...

15th - 23rd November 2011 15th November Cold light easterly wind with misty sunshine. As the tide came in a group of 13 Shoveler crossed the channel in front of the hamlet. A flock of Dunlin landed on the sandbar on the other side. A Reed Bunting showed up on the marsh edge hawthorn bushes and...

Sounds like a common buzzard to me Gareth, have a look at the link to our species profile page for this imposing raptor here . At this time of year they will be taking any carrion they can find but also preying on small mammals and worms.

My friend and I have just returned home from a lovely week spent in North Wales. We love going to Porthmadog, Llanberis, Caernarfon and other nearby places, and went to a few places on Anglesey too. During our travels we managed to take a few photos of some of the various birds we spotted. Some in fields...

My friend and I have just come back from spending a few lovely days in North Wales. Whilst going for a walk near Pentraeth on Anglesey we saw this beautiful bird of prey sitting on a wall and took some photos of it. We're not very good at identifying different birds of prey, but someone we showed...

Bob, I might accept your comments but for the fact, and on this the RSPB were unequivocal in their reply to me, that their interest centred solely on the estuarine species. The removal of one of 20 turbines to create a slightly larger access to the wetland habitat seemed sufficient to satisfy them. ...

Hello All, Photos below of life on the Marshes for Buzzards & Marsh Harriers. Have fun RR

A few images from my recent stay at the Lighthouse on The Mull of Kintyre

Hello All, Two individual flying displays from Duxford Air Show on Sunday, both over the airfield at the same time, luckily the Buzzard passed through untouched . Have fun RR

Took this photo of my favourite bird of prey " the Buzzard ". This bird has given me some of my best photos so far and i look forward to taking many more.

My husband and I were out for a run on Sunday and noticed a buzzard sitting on a post at the side of the road. He stopped the car a short distance past it and I opened the car door to take a photo - it sat long enough to get this shot.

My husband and I were out for a run on Sunday and noticed a buzzard sitting on a post at the side of the road. He stopped the car a short distance past it and I opened the car door to take a photo - it sat long enough to get this shot.

With the recent frosty weather we've had the delight of a buzzard regularly visiting our bird table which is about 10 feet from a window. It's sheer magic seeing such a wonderful bird of prey at really close quarters

With the recent frosty weather we've had the delight of a buzzard regularly visiting our bird table which is about 10 feet from a window. It's sheer magic seeing such a wonderful bird of prey at really close quarters

Stuck in a traffic jam, a buzzard caught my eye as I gazed out of the window. It gradually gained height, but we had plenty of time to watch every lazy but powerful wingbeat as it lolled in the sky above us.

Our usual path and there above the pastures hovered the Kestrel, we stood in awe and then over the copse on the hill ahead swooped two Buzzards mewing to each other and riding the thermals with ease,our elation and joy at such a wonderful scene.

My moment of magic There are so many moments; should I tell of the few minutes that a buzzard and I looked at each other from about 5 feet apart (due to the path being higher on the hill than the tree); or of suddenly hearing choughs high above me on Islay alerting me to their fantastic aerobatics above...

Driving along the M5 south of Bristol, my partner and I caught sight of a buzzard soaring close to the carriageway, we were both silent for several seconds, just taking in the sheer majesty of him, Incredible! A moment never forgotten.