A buzzard over The Horns

As I was starting to eat a delicious lunch which Helena had just prepared, I looked out across the patio towards Oakey Grove, a very old small copse about two hundred yards across The Horns valley. I saw the wide wings of a big bird rising above the top branches of the oaks and knew it was the buzzard I hear so regularly but whose perches or even nest I haven't managed to locate before.

It rose in big circles on the thermals caused by the heat of the midday sun. I watched it fly further away across towards Rodborough and knew I had missed it. I have been waiting to see one actually com over our house again, when it can be flying quite low as it looks around for prey. A couple of minutes later, I looked higher in the sky and saw a group of six birds congregating, and realised that five crows who live in the tree tops were mobbing the buzzard, which was trying to avoid their attention by soaring higher and higher.

Then I noticed that another buzzard was flying quite low and quite near to our garden. I rushed out to the cabin where I'd put my camera earlier anticipating some more garden blipping later in the day. Switching it on, I zoomed in, used auto-focus and got this shot out of the ten I managed to fire off before the bird disappeared up towards the head of The Horns valley. Still not a great picture, neither very sharp nor exposed well, and I've cropped it too much, but at least it is a buzzard. I need a more appropriate lens for that and a bit more time to prepare, but at least it is a start.

NB
Last night's Extraordinary General Meeting was rather Extraordinary, since it resulted in a unanimous decision to ask for official scrutiny about the proposed changes to the NHS services affecting us imminently (and you very soon). We probably won't be able to change things but at least the process and the whole situation will get fresh and increased exposure. There are still so many people who have no idea what is happening.