• Fuzzy buzzard

Back last September, I spent an extraordinary half-an-hour in the close company of a buzzard in the wood (Another Close Encounter).  Unfortunately, on that occasion, I had no camera on me, and the moment was too special to waste on going back to the house for one.

This afternoon, at about 16.00, in the late afternoon sun on a very cold day, I espied a buzzard on a perch where I’d not seen one before – a cherry tree about 20m from the house.  I watched it for over a minute before it ambled off. Excuse the quality of the photos taken with my little Canon Ixus – it was on maximum zoom (x16) from behind a window.

They’re much bigger birds when perched than they look when riding the thermals.  That said, look at the wingspan on this buzzard as it took flight away from the camera, tail feathers spread and talons down!