{"id":1526,"date":"2009-11-20T00:11:23","date_gmt":"2009-11-20T00:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.permuted.org.uk\/photography\/archives\/1526"},"modified":"2013-11-12T21:27:25","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T21:27:25","slug":"two-more-raptors-a-blackbird-and-a-pair-of-playful-squirrels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.permuted.org.uk\/photography\/two-more-raptors-a-blackbird-and-a-pair-of-playful-squirrels\/","title":{"rendered":"Two more raptors, a blackbird and a pair of playful squirrels"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

It was a little brighter today, and the temperature is still holding up. I wandered back to the kestrel field from yesterday, but it seemed deserted so I headed slightly further and came across a pair of squirrels busy playing chase up in the treetops. They were fairly well hidden by the branches, as you can see.
<\/span> Squirrels at play<\/span><\/p>\n

Out over the neighbouring fields a buzzard was circling. It kept its distance, but I'm always pleased to see these magnificent birds.
<\/span> Buzzard circling<\/span><\/p>\n

I had rather more luck with a sparrowhawk which flew in reasonably before disappearing behind the woods.
<\/span> Sparrowhawk<\/span><\/p>\n

All of those were grabbed shots, taken on the move. Nice moments, but fleeting. The blackbirds were more cooperative, but only just. They were busy feeding in the tall hedgerow, dashing to and fro across the path. Occasionally one would settle (though the branches conspired to cut across my line of sight). This appears to be a young male.<\/p>\n

\"blackbird\"Blackbird<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

No foxes tonight, but the squirrels (or more exactly 'a squirrel') has been active early in the mornings, sweeping up any leftover peanuts from the previous night whilst fearlessly seeing off the crows. No photos, but I do have some trail cam footage that I must sort out.
\"Nature<\/a><\/span>
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 100-400mm f\/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[990,980,50],"tags":[33,599],"class_list":["post-1526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bird-of-prey","category-birds-2","category-squirrel","tag-birds","tag-squirrels","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t