The day in question was Thursday… it seems to have rained almost continuously ever since, and on Wednesday it was sleet, rain and snow (yes more snow, but it didn't settle).
Thursday morning was dry when I headed out to some nearby fields before work. As I drove along the country lane a kestrel hovered overhead. Further along, as I was drawing up into a lay-by to park, two foxes ran across the field. They were gone before I had a chance to reach for the camera. It was time for work.
The light had improved a little by lunchtime, and it was still dry so I headed back to the field… this time on foot. Another kestrel, this time perched in distant tree.
I headed out to the lane, and ahead, always ahead and always skipping just out of range of a decent shot, jays were out hunting for acorns and nuts.
With so many about, it was only a matter of waiting until one flew into view.
It was quiet in the field where the foxes had been a few hours earlier, but in the distance a buzzard was circling the sky. I watched for a minute or two to see if it would come into range and then started my way back. A familiar shape flew in across the field… carrying a small rodent in his talons. 
And finally, back at work, circling high over my office building: a buzzard…
Today was all rain. The weekend will be grey; but hopefully dry. We'll see. A slight chance of more snow next week :smurf:
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
gdare
23 Jan 2010I thought a kestrel would eat its prey at the same place where he caught it but this one probably wanted some privacy 😀
Your cold wave finally reached us, they predicted -15C in one of the next days as the lowest temperature. A little snow though.
cakkleberrylane
23 Jan 2010You take such great shots of birds in flight! Love the jay with the berry in his beak!
SittingFox
23 Jan 2010Ah yes, rain…I'm getting rather familiar with it myself :whistle: The forecast looks dreadful! Apparently the snow did settle here on Wednesday, but it had melted by the time I got home from London. We've still got the large shovelled heaps of it from the earlier fall though.
Nice to see the buzzard :up:
Words
23 Jan 2010Adele, I think we missed the worst of Wednesday's snow (we caught the southern fringe). There were still some heaps of the stuff around on Friday at work, but more or less everywhere else is clear.
Words
23 Jan 2010Lois, thanks! These were all a bit far away to be honest, but the week has been so quiet I was happy to just get some pictures.
Words
23 Jan 2010Darko, yes they often carry the prey away to slightly more open ground where it's more convenient to eat in comfort. -15C sounds cold… very!
bugscout
23 Jan 2010I love these pictures
Great job :pirate:
Words
23 Jan 2010Thanks Walter!