Yes they're back after their winter holidays. I saw a pair fly over the garden on Sunday. As ever they were too far off for more than a quick reference shot, but nice to see them back over the Sussex skies.
They weren't the only raptors about. A pair of sparrowhawks circled overhead, until the local gulls ganged up on them and sent them packing.
This morning provided yet another opportunity for a ridiculously long shot. This time, it was a pair of buzzards coming in to land in a field. This is one of them.
To complete the set I have managed one rather better shot recently (not forgetting the owl), which takes me back to Saturday when I grabbed a shot of a passing kestrel.
Kestrel
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
cakkleberrylane
31 Mar 2009Awesome shots!!
annoushkiss
31 Mar 2009Wow… so many raptors around!
Flying Red Fox Blog
31 Mar 2009Lovelly shots 😀
SittingFox
31 Mar 2009You're certainly doing well with the raptors! I'm glad the hobbies are back. I guess I should start to look out for them in a few weeks then!
Vulpes vulpes
1 Apr 2009Love that Kestrel shot!
Words
1 Apr 2009Anna, it seems a good time of year for them!
Words
1 Apr 2009Adele, I can't recall when I first spotted the hobbies last year, but it seems quite early for them to be around.
Words
1 Apr 2009Thanks Mark!
Words
1 Apr 2009Thanks Vulpes!
Words
1 Apr 2009Thanks Lois!
anonymous
4 Mar 2010Hannah writes:
Hey love your raptor shots, you must have some good lens. My local buzzards never come close enough for my 100mm 🙁
keep up d great work!!
Words
6 Mar 2010Hannah, thanks. These are taken with a 100-400mm zoom. Tricky to get close with 100mm, though the kestrels sometimes come in that near.