September 6th 2024
I was heading for the second gate, along the almost flat part of the track where there is a field on the right, today with sheep grazing in it and a rising bank of grass, up to a hillside covered in pine trees of all ages and mixed varieties. This is the area I usually see Meadow Pipit, Stonechat and more recently, Whinchat which were a first for me only last year. So far though this year the numbers generally have been down apart from Whinchat.
There's a mud bank on further ahead where a LOT of Sand Martins nest but I have a feeling they've gone now.
As I was walking I had noticed quite a few Ravens way up in the corner and in hindsight, I did think I'd caught a glimpse of something else, probably a Buzzard. I usually hear and see a couple of Ravens up here but I hadn't seen an "unkindness" or flock before.
You can see the shape of the tail pretty clearly in that shot, almost a diamond shape as opposed to the wedge shape of Rooks and Crows, their gronk sound is much deeper than those too.
By the time I'd almost reached the second gate, I was taking notice and watching them with the binoculars, I'd counted eight so far, seemed like a lot.
I was watching the birds and walking when, luckily, I glanced left up towards those trees where they were hanging out.
Dropping out of the trees and heading towards me was a very big bird!
Juvenile White-tailed Eagle and pursuing Raven.
I was pretty amazed, this young Eagle dropped out of those tree to my left and started heading my way!
The first of these two shots was as shot, this one is the same shot, cropped to bring the bird closer but, it was the closest I've ever been to this huge, beautiful young bird.
I have to admit to muttering to myself, "I can't believe this", I was snapping away and watching this beautiful bird head off over the trees to my right. I still had 50+ shots to work through after dumping the dross!
(I won't be sharing them all) I do remember reminding myself to back off with the lens, I've attempted to get so many in-flight shots where I am zoomed way too close to the bird to actually follow it so, I backed off to try and make sure I was getting the full bird in the frame.
I'm pretty amazed to be honest, the camera was set up right, the light was good, I almost forgot to zoom back in again for some shots! Look at those wings!!!!
Ok that's enough. I got over fifty shots in the first minute! Just as well I'd set up multiple shooting. Sometimes it all just works out.
So I watched as he or she headed away over those trees and turned back to the Ravens.
I was clicking through the shots of it disappearing over the trees, when I noticed it looked a bit tatty. Found a better shot, it's not tatty, it's radio tagged, I think. ( I have reported this sighting to the appropriate people, you'll see why in a moment)
Departing Eagle showing the aerial
If you look closely on the back looks like a tiny aerial sticking up. It's probably possible to track this bird and follow it around.
Meanwhile, back with the Ravens ......
As I turned back towards them ......another White-tailed Eagle dropped out of the trees right towards me!!!!!!!!!
This one was even closer!
If you look closely at it, it has more white tail feathers and is paler around the head, flabbergasted! All within one minute!
It felt like longer, looking back but the evidence is in the photo data.
Did I say, Look at those wings!?
So, looking at the angle to its body, this bird was just passing across in front of me and only maybe 100ft up.
And then it started to turn, towards me!
The relevance of "towards me" it was getting bigger and almost directly overhead, harder to keep tracking so that second shot is untouched, I couldn't pan fast enough.
The same shot, centred now to show that eye.
Is that bird laughing? Picture if you can, me standing on an open track, an eagle slowing passing directly overhead and I'm trying to get as many shots as possible, to make sure at least one is good! I almost cowped. (fell over) :)
And so, the second Eagle I'd seen inside a single minute was now heading for the hillside.
Speechless? I've seen three eagles up here before over two and a half years or, the same Eagle three times but always at distance!
So. Now what? All a bit let down now! The sun was still shining and it was a beautiful day so I thought I'd carry on to the trees and see if the path has been opened up again by the forestry work.
The Ravens were calming down again and either heading off to their own patch or having a good natter in the trees where the Eagles had been.
I had a chat with a farmer up at the gate, the path hadn't been cleared at all so, after putting the world to rights for a few minutes, I started back the way I'd come, dying to get home and see what I'd actually managed to photograph.
A lot of people ask "did you get any good photos?" when they see the camera but, of course, you don't really know until they're on a bigger screen.
I could see someone walking towards me, a lady in all the right gear for a good walk so we chatted about the path around the reservoir, the weather and oh, there's an Eagle! I'd been facing back to the same area and the bird that had flown off over the hillside, the second bird, was now flying back along the hilltop, closely escorted by the Ravens.
I loaned the lady, who was visiting from Somerset, my binoculars while I grabbed a few more shots. More???? ;)
White-tailed Eagle and Raven
Soaring over the hillside
I was walking slowly back down the path towards the corner, watching and photographing the activity over the hillside.
You can just make out the green wing tags on that bird above.
I was just wondering as I am editing these shots, what brought them to those trees in the first place? Fishing? Why did this bird come back? Maybe because its sibling flew off in the opposite direction?
Then I had a real moment!
Two White-tailed Eagles and a Raven
Both birds were there, the only other time I've seen two was on Lewis on my birthday at Bostadh beach and I accidentally deleted the photos!
I stood for ages hoping they'd both appear in shot ....
Two Ravens and two White-tailed Eagles soaring like a scene from the Battle of Britain.
Eagles and Ravens in formation
I was now just trying to get shots of the Eagles together or the Ravens having a go at them although they just seemed to be escorting other than chasing them off.
The final set for the Eagles; Ravens escorting an Eagle away as the headed NW over the hills.
Ravens debriefing after the great Eagle incident
The Ravens started heading back to their own patch or into the trees again for a debrief :)
Looked like there may have been some battle damage although I think it's probably older than today?
One of them just couldn't resist a little showing off :)
They're amazing fliers. And so, the excitement over, I started trudging homeward. I was now walking in circles, head swivelling through 360 degrees...well, almost.
Back through the gates, back at the fallen tree by the burn ......
A Stonechat among the long grasses. I've recently seen a family of them inn this area so I hung around for a while to see if more might appear.
It was only as I moved off that two flew off towards the trees beyond. A quick chat with a couple I meet from Forfar that I meet from time to time up here and I was off down the track, I tend to walk fast on the return, getting the exercise part of it.
I spotted a Cormorant fishing near the shore, I usually see a few here.
The Rosebay Willowherb had gone over and was now seeding heavily in the breeze, floofs everywhere.
A small group of Canada Geese flew up the water at low level.
I'd seen a few butterflies on my walk, Peacocks, some whites, a Small Tortoiseshell stopped long enough for a photo.
I charged on, made it to the car park finally, had a last look around, you never know but the final sighting was a very obliging Pied Wagtail in the car park, barely moving away as I approached.
11:35, back in the car. I'd set off at 08:14. I great walk, great photo opportunities and the sun shone the entire time. What more could I have asked??
