The title is an oblique reference to the frustration of seeing some great wildlife action but being far too distant to capture an image. It was like that this morning, in the fields by the edge of Westlain Plantation, a small local wood.
A kestrel was flying out over the the field, sweeping and swooping low into the valley. Fantastic to watch, but even with an almighty crop this is about the best I can manage from the camera. It reminds me of what I saw, but as a photo I'm not really convinced by it.
I've been after a photo of the local green woodpeckers for several weeks now. I see them (flying through the wood and impossible to grab a focus), I hear them calling (loud, unmistakeable); but until today they had evaded the camera. I'd just finished watching the kestrel when one of the woodpeckers broke cover and flew out over open land… into the distance. At least the shot proves it was there, but not much else. Once again a massive crop…
It does get better though. Sandwiched between those two sightings was something rather good. And relatively close; about as close as I've ever been to this particular bird when it's perching. I'd just come round the edge of where two fields abut the wood when I spotted it. A buzzard was sitting imperiously high in a tree, scanning the field. 
This was the second or third time I've seen a buzzard in these woods, so it does seem to be a regular haunt. And it's convenient… about as convenient as it could be. I park my car at work about 50 yards from where I took this. 🙂
The fox sightings are also on a good roll at the moment, and back in the garden this evening Shutterbug showed up. He is looking a little battered and judging from the wound on his neck he may have been in one or two scraps.
He has his good side too… so to balance things out here are a couple more shots from this evening.
Camera note: all birds taken with the Canon 7D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens. Fox photographs with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.
gdare
5 Apr 2012Ah, now it is clear to me, Shutterbug like the flowers in your garden 😎
😀
Nice photo of buzzard!
SittingFox
5 Apr 2012Great to see the perched buzzard, and Shutterbug is truly becoming a regular again! The woodpecker is obviously in the flying-without-wings part of its undulating flight!
derWandersmann
5 Apr 2012LOL … Adele, I specifically recall Archimedes' (Merlyn's owl familiar) reprimand to the Wart (the future King Arthur), in his initial flight as an owl: "Stop flying like a woodpecker!" I've always noticed the difference between owl and woodpecker flight ever since.
The buzzard is a true find, Words … good shots!
I suspect that Shutterbug's wound will heal rapidly … it looks clean, and there's the vixen to help.
anonymous
5 Apr 2012Kate writes:
very interesting difference in buzzard types, looks like a hawk, our buzzards are much more ugly, look like flying turkeys with evil eyes. We dont have green woodpeckers either! Love seeing all the great creatures you spot. Thanks!
derWandersmann
5 Apr 2012Yes … the buzzards out west are much more vulture-like.
Words
5 Apr 2012dW, that's a great line to quote, and utterly on the nail! Shutterbug will be fine (they pick up all sorts of wounds over the year), but I'd be prepared to wager that it may well have been a vixen he was arguing with. 😉
Words
5 Apr 2012Kate, yes you have the 'turkey buzzard' or vulture' which is a different family from our common buzzard. Our one is Buteo buteo, the same family as many of your hawks.
Words
5 Apr 2012Darko, we do plant fox gloves in the garden, especially for him 😉
Words
5 Apr 2012Adele, the buzzard was a treat. As for the woodpecker the series of shots I took a classic take on its flight. It appears all over the frame.