Red Kite and Buzzards galore!!
Its amazing how often birds can turn a seemingly normal work-day into one that's rather special. Such was the case today when I heard Common Buzzards mewing over my post-round in Hempnall Village. They have become something of a usual sight in the last few years and dare I say something I've began to get used to, so I looked up expecting to see one, maybe two birds circling but it was slightly better than that. There were no less than
ten birds up on the thermals at varying heights. A couple were play-fighting, a couple more were hanging on the wind before plummeting in a downward spiral. It was fantastic. This is easily the biggest gathering of the species that I've seen in my area and knocks my previous local record of four into oblivion!
They didn't seem in a hurry to go anywhere so I headed back home to get the birding gear and get a closer look. The possibility of pulling an HB out of them was also at the forefront of my mind.
It took me about 15 minutes to get home and back again and in that time, half of the Buzzards had drifted off, never to return. The remaining half were all Common Buzzards and a Hobby had joined them. I was enjoying much better views through the optics, congratulating myself on my decision when I spotted a longer winged raptor circling in from the west which to my utmost pleasure turned out to be a
Red Kite! Talk about icing on the cake. Only my third ever record locally, the kite headed slowly east and just before I had to get back to work, a Sparrowhawk put in an appearance bringing the raptor fest to a close. I presume that at least some of the Buzzards were migrants, and the appearance of the kite seems to back that idea, but regardless, it was a brilliant experience.
Also of note and worth mentioning was the House Martin, also seen in Hempnall, which was singing its heart out from a telegraph wire whilst flapping its wings Starling fashion. Cant say I've ever noticed behaviour like that before from a House Martin, so all in all an amazing day with some great new experiences!!