Week 9 of Lisa Coleman’s bird weekly challenge is all about birds of prey.
I was lucky enough a couple of years ago to attend a photography day in conjunction with a rescue sanctuary for raptors, which meant we could get up close and personal.
This buzzard was impressive, especially when he decided to stretch his wings. Buzzards were once nearly hunted to extinction in the UK but are now one of the most common birds of prey. The bird in the header photo was hunting for his dinner and circled above us for a while before spotting something.
An equally impressive Harris hawk. They are not native to Britain but are used quite often in falconry.
This cute baby Peregrine Falcon was quite content on the grass. Peregrines were another species whose numbers suffered because of humans and the use of pesticides but has now made a comeback.
There were several owls as well but I’ll save those for a future post.
On another occasion my sister and I visited the UK Wolf Conservation Trust and noticed several Red Kites hanging around in the trees waiting for any scraps of food left by the wolves.
Wow, Cathy! These are quite impressive! I couldn’t find my Peregrine Falcon pics. I’ll find them tomorrow as that is what normally happens. I would love to see that Red Kite! Wow, what a fantastic bird. Your buzzard is quite beautiful. Our vultures in the US are often called “Buzzards” but not obtain the name. Wonderful gallery this week! 🙂
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Thanks, Lisa. It was a really good day. Hope you find your falcon pics. That was the only time I’ve seen a red kite, it was a great experience 🙂
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It’s always a good day when you see birds! 🙂 My photos will turn up. I just didn’t get to the right hard drive. I keep all my photos on external drives and back ups on my cards. I don’t keep anything on my main computer as to not slow it down. And for years, I didn’t organize anything so got some catching up to do. 🙂
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Gorgeous photographs Cathy, it’s a real treat to see these birds up close! Enjoy your weekend and much love from our house to yours 🤗💖🐕 xxx
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Thanks so much, Xenia 🤗 Glad you enjoyed them. Have a lovely weekend and much love to you all 💕🐕💕xxx
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Thank you Cathy 🤗💕🐕 xxx
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They’re so gorgeous. It’s horrifying to think we’ve nearly wiped them out and thank goodness so much work is being done to conserve and reintroduce them to the wild.
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Absolutely!
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Beautiful birds, Cathy! This looks like a fun challenge, something I will check out for future inspiration! Hope all is well!
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It was an amazing day, Terri. I’m enjoying the challenge. Alls good, thanks. Hope you’re having a wonderful break.
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