They Came From The North

I've been enjoying the last push of raptors making their way south of late.

We have entered that time of year where Rough Legged Buzzard and Golden Eagle make their way south and presumably somehow decide if they stay on the south coast or keep on pushing.

I came across a deer carcass the previous weekend, which held a dozen White Tailed Eagle in close attendance.





Look at those wings!!

It was an amazing sight to see these behemoths wheeling in and squabbling like vultures over the carcass. Absolute beasts.







Adult White Tailed Eagle





1st Winter White Tailed Eagle, with some eagles in the backdrop.


Monsters

Several Rough Legged Buzzard juveniles were also floating around eyeing up the carcass and have been moving in decent numbers in general. A bird that always delights me. 



Rough Legged Buzzard - I've seen about 100 of these in the past week as their migration hits peak time.



Goshawk were also moving in decent numbers.

I spent Sunday morning on sunds tower where a couple of 1st winter Golden Eagle popped up among the many migrating common Buzzard and Jay.

Star of the show was a tooting juv Two-Barred Crossbill which zipped by us, providing a reasonable scope view wait did so. Nailing and aging Two Bar X-bill in flight...not something I ever thought I'd be doing!

The fields are now full of finches, with the field at Bole holding impressive numbers of Chaffinch and Brambling, with a bonus Arctic Redpoll.









Brambling - always a beautiful bit of colour among the autumn leaves.

The weekend produced two garden ticks in quick succession.

Herself called me whilst she was walking the dog to tell me she was watching a coot of all things from the far side of the bay. I bundled up baba and ran down to the pier to nail it for the garden list.

Later, when I went down for another gawk, I failed to find it, but instead found a nice Red Necked Grebe in among the Great Crested flock. Both welcome additions.

With the feeders up now, things are very active in the garden, and the first Grey Headed Woodpecker in weeks popped up, a male giving the "kuhk" call from the Aspen behind the feeders. 

Hopefully more to come from those northern raptors.

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