Birds of Prey 'Raptors'
A fascinating group of hunters. Many are quite difficult to see, as you can tell from my 'Still to capture' list and some mediocre images. There is always a sense of excitement when there is a raptor around.
16 species of Eagle, Buzzard, Harrier, Kite, Hawk, Falcon and Osprey.
Osprey
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Buzzard - Now our most common raptor. Can be seen almost everywhere in the countryside. Especially in late Summer/early Autumn, when they are boosted by the latest crop of youngsters. They are scavengers as much as hunters. They vary quite a lot in colour and patterning. The same base colours but varying degrees of white. Always eye catching even if fairly common.
Hen Harrier - There is much concern currently within conservation circles over this bird. England has all but lost its breeding population. A heavily persecuted species. More birds come here during Winter months where they can be seen over reedbeds and coastal saltmarsh, in particular. Females and juveniles are difficult to tell apart and birders term them as 'Ringtails', due to the striking white ring around the tail. The male is a stunning pale, bluey grey.
Male at RSPB Burton Mere in Winter
Female at Parkgate, Cheshire in Winter
Hobby - A fast flying and acrobatic falcon. Hobby are dragonfly catching specialists. They can also take swallows and martins, which demonstrates their incredible speed and manoeuvrability. They look like a large swift when seen high in the sky. They can be seen in large numbers on passage, over reedbeds and peat mosses on a hot day with plenty of dragonflies in the air.
Photo1 taken at RSPB Lakenheath, Norfolk. 2&3 at RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk
Kestrel - Overtaken by Buzzard as our most numerous raptor. Kestrels are falcons, which hunt birds and especially small mammals. They are well known for their incredible ability to hover in flight. They can lock into a certain position keeping their heads motionless, even when their bodies are being buffeted by strong winds. They lock onto their prey until they judge the right moment to dive.
Marsh Harrier - A large, impressive bird which hunts over marshland and reedbeds. Always good to watch as they fly more slowly than many raptors. With wings often held in a V formation (pic.6) they cruise the area for birds and mammals. The population is in good shape now, as numbers have significantly increased over the past thirty+ years. They're our biggest harrier. Females and juveniles have the cream crown to the head.
Photo 1 is a male at Minsmere, Suffolk. 2 is a female at Hen Reedbeds in Suffolk. 3 is a male taken from a boat on the Norfolk Broads. 4. A female at RSPB Minsmere, Suffolk. 5 is a pair at RSPB Lakenheath Fen, during a courtship display in May. 6 is a female at RSPB Titchwell Marsh in Feb.
Osprey - Another raptor brought back from the brink and gradually increasing in number. They feed exclusively on fish. Every bird in the UK is monitored and recorded in order to ensure that the population is protected, healthy and thriving. There are several breeding pairs that return each Spring to Rutland Water, where three of these photos were taken. Some of them travel slightly further away to take extra fish from a nearby fish farm. The owner has capitalised on this by constructing a photographic hide there, so obsessives such as I can go and get a closer look - Photo 1&2.
Photos 1,2 & 4 taken near Rutland Water. 3 - Loch Inch, Speyside.
Peregrin - Our largest falcon and moreover the fastest animal in the world. When they descend from height, in attack mode, they can travel at 200 mph. They take a wide range of bird prey and urban dwelling pairs are very effective hunters of ferral pigeons in towns and cities. Another bird that was heavily persecuted but has now, with protection, returned to good numbers. A spectacular bird but not one that's easy to get close views of.
Photo 1 (juvenile) taken at RSPB Bempton Cliffs and 2. WWT Martin Mere - Feb.
A fledgling on the cliffs above Scarborough. These cliffs are shared with Kittiwakes and other potential seabird prey. June.
Red Kite - The Red Kite is real a success story. A bird that has gone from near extinction in Britain in the early 80's, to a thriving and still growing population today, with several areas of stronghold. This is thanks to several managed introductions and feeding stations. Gigrin Farm in Mid-Wales was one of the early resettlement locations. This is where all my photos were taken. Meat is still put out for them there every day of the year. They can attract anything upto 600 kites per day.
Sparrowhawk - One of our smallest raptors but this is a true bird hunter. They are ambush preditors, built for a sudden turn of speed not a sustained high speed chase. Most people have a love/hate relationship with them. You can't help but admire them, but at the same time they take a lot of our small birds. The males are smaller and take song birds. The females are much more powerful and can take birds like jackdaws and wood pigeons.
Male surveying a feeding station.
Female resting in our back garden after a large meal.