Saturday 31st May a day off work and a late start. With light winds, fine conditions and a Whiskered Tern at Grove Ferry I headed off East to the hallowed valley known as the
Stour!! Looking at the photo above one could be mistaken for a scene of total chaos with everyone looking different directions, one looking at a Hobby, another a plane, or a butterfly or even just suffering with stiff neck!! The amassed crowd of Raptor followers worked like a well oiled machine though picking up the raptors as they headed up the
Stour Valley from the East and funnelled their way through to and over
Stodmarsh village and
Collards's lake. The 4 hours that I spent there were simply magic with good company, good birding and extremely sensible parking on the narrow lane that allowed even the likes of Massey Ferguson and John Deere safe passage.
The tally was probably 15-20+ Hobby, 3+ Kestrel, 4+ Common Buzzard, a '
Montagu's Harrier' and Red Kite within minutes of each other, female Red-footed Falcon (as above), 3+ Marsh Harrier and and of course, the Whiskered Tern my second in the
Stour Valley.
What a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon, bring it on!
Saturday 31st May a day off work and a late start. With light winds, fine conditions and a Whiskered Tern at Grove Ferry I headed off East to the hallowed valley known as the Stour!! Looking at the photo above one could be mistaken for a scene of total chaos with everyone looking different directions, one looking at a Hobby, another a plane, or a butterfly or even just suffering with stiff neck!! The amassed crowd of Raptor followers worked like a well oiled machine though picking up the raptors as they headed up the Stour Valley from the East and funnelled their way through to and over Stodmarsh village and Collards's lake. The 4 hours that I spent there were simply magic with good company, good birding and extremely sensible parking on the narrow lane that allowed even the likes of Massey Ferguson and John Deere safe passage.
The tally was probably 15-20+ Hobby, 3+ Kestrel, 4+ Common Buzzard, a 'Montagu's Harrier' and Red Kite within minutes of each other, female Red-footed Falcon (as above), 3+ Marsh Harrier and and of course, the Whiskered Tern my second in the Stour Valley.
What a fantastic way to spend a Saturday afternoon, bring it on!
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