Chasing Buzzards
My Photography Journal - The Journey Continues
It’s been almost 6 years now, since I wrote my first blog on Chasing Buzzards. A lot has changed in the six years, not just for me but the whole world changed in the Covid Years.
Being in lockdown back then really does make you value the time outside now. I was quite fortunate in that I was a ‘Key Worker’ so I still managed to get outside and a bit more than most others.
Photography gear in them six years has also changed, I first updated my lenses then followed it up with a new camera earlier this year. I now have good gear, gear which will help me get better photos. Better photos, yes but me in the correct place well errrrrrm nope, that will still take time.
I also changed website host and I’m now on Squarespace, stupidly I didn’t back up my old website so lost my previous blogs. My first blog was only read by 3 or 4 people on my last site, but as the series went on more and more read it. Many from around the world which was a surprise.
As you have gathered by reading this far, my writing skills are worst than my photography and my photography isn’t great either.
On my last ‘Chasing Buzzards’ blog I wrote how I got to see so many buzzards at once, all in the same field. I was so excited at seeing them I forgot all about my camera settings and failed miserably at getting a decent image of one.
The best I took was of one just about to land on a fence post, but the photo is quite bad on closer inspection. Eyes not too much in focus and I was at a far distance so I had to crop it in, quite heavily.
All the above photos are my attempt are getting a decent photo of the Buzzard, I always get on the wrong side of them or frighten them off. The worst part is I don’t always see them until it’s too late. I had one flying low and basically along side my last year and I didn’t notice. It was like slow motion we looked at each other and then realised how close we were and it quickly made a high dash for it. It landed in a tree which is also in the above photos, two of the other other photos in that collection are the same Buzzard flying away from me.
I’ve got to learn to be more alert and be more in a stealth mode, this Buzzard is the only one that has never seen me coming all the others see me and are long gone.
Those of you who follow my Facebook & Instagram would have seen on Sunday 3rd August I was out with my camera. A walk to one of my favourite beaches on this little Island. This was to practise my landscape photography but I got a little sidetracked. Instead of heading to the beach to meet the incoming tide, I was stood in a field with my camera bag on the floor whilst I looked for the Buzzard I could hear. Almost like a cat crying noise coming across the field as the sparrows and any other little bird flew for cover.
I stood almost still for 5 minutes, just moving my eyes looking for any type of movement. Nothing, absolutely silent, I could hear the waves from the nearby beach and thought I best head there. Then out of nowhere the noise again, but this time louder. I knew it was nearby and in one of two fields, I looked into the distance and checked every telegraph pole. I pulled my phone out and started to record as I was still checking the telegraph poles, as I spoke I looked at the nearest pole to me and to my surprise there was a Kestrel sat atop of it. Looking straight back me to see what I was up to but quickly looking back towards another field, I had a feeling the Buzzard was in that field.
Keeping a eye on me!
The Kestrel, another beautiful bird of prey and up there with the Buzzard amongst my favourite birds.
Just seconds after taking this photo, it made a dash for it heading away from me at first before turning and flying across me. Then heading away into the distance. I did capture a great photo ‘by my standards’ of it in flight which will be shared to my Facebook page in the near future.
Fun Fact -
‘Kestrels can see ultraviolet light, allowing them to detect the urine trails of small mammals like voles from up to 50 metres away. So when you see one hovering, it's not just graceful—it's laser-focused.’
With-in just a few moments of the Kestrel leaving I finally caught my first glimpse of the Buzzard. It was in the field that the Kestrel kept looking towards. My heart sank as the Buzzard flew the opposite way, again I was in the wrong place and again I can only get a photo of one flying away. It was a big Buzzard too, there was not another bird in the sky as this one flew low over a fence and out of site.
Again I can only get a photo of one heading away from me
I looked at my phone to check the time and I only had about 15 minutes now until high tide, thankfully the field was less than a 10 minute walk to the beach. I needed the high tide as I wanted to practise long exposure landscape photography, but now I hadn’t left enough time for me to find a composition there.
For whatever reason I looked over my shoulder, oh wow A Buzzard this time coming straight towards me. For almost a few seconds I didn’t even think about my camera. Something I have been guilty of many times, I stand there watching nature forgetting to photograph it. I grabbed my camera and by this point the Buzzard had turned and started to fly across me now. I focused in on it and fired away shot after shot, just as quick as it appeared, it disappeared over the top of some trees.
I checked the back of my camera praying I hadn’t messed this one up, this could be my first decent shot of a Buzzard. For just a brief few seconds the sun came out making me not able to fully see the screen on the back of my camera.
I done a full 360 in the field and I couldn't see any Buzzards or Kestrels anymore, I could see some sparrows had come out of the bushes. I took this as a sign that both of these birds of prey had left the area and I decided to leave too.
I set off for the beach.
Porth-Y-Post is my favourite beach around here, often left alone by the tourists. As I came around the corner, the beach came into view. I could not believe it, there was a Kestrel sat there, almost enjoying the view. I slowly put my bag down and unzipped it but that was it the Kestrel left and flew off over the hill. I sat on the bench there for a good 5 minutes just taking in the view. High Tide had arrived but it wasn’t high enough for what I had in mind. I could see the Kestrel hovering over the headland in the far distance so I kept my zoom lens on.
After a short while, I gave up any hope of it coming any closer so decided to put the wide angle lens on and set up for a seascape photo. Guess what? Yes, you guessed it. the Kestrel came and was now less than 50 meters from me. I couldn’t believe it, I looked at my bag thinking have I got enough time to swap lenses again but I looked back towards the Kestrel and it had already dived down and behind a cliff. I could see a family on the beach were packing up ready to go, I waited for them to leave and I then set up and took this photo of the post. I had a B&W photo in mind so the bright grey sky did not bother me too much.
Porth Y Post - Long Exposure.
On taking the photo, I received a message from the family saying they were not too far away and would meet me to walk back home with. I sat back on the bench and reviewed the photos I had taken, by looking at the back of the camera.
I was really happy with some of the Kestrel photos but then I got to the Buzzard ones. Looking at the screen my face must have lit up as I could see that not only was the Buzzard in focus but it was carrying a small bird.
I couldn’t wait to get home and to review on the big screen and when I did, I wasn’t disappointed. Eye in focus, no blur and by far the best photo of a Buzzard I have taken.
Buzzard in flight with it’s prey.
Until next time.
Take Care.