buzzard acrobatics herald spring

It looks as if I'll be car-less for the whole week. The people fixing it have had to order a front facing camera(?) from Germany and it may take a few days to arrive. Don't ask.

Bizarrely, I've become quite an expert on noticing cars with simple windscreens and others with complicated electronics. My test is whether the rear-view mirror is just stuck on with a little square sticky pad. They are the simple ones.

The last few days I've been getting around on foot and bicycle and fortunately the weather has been quite sunny. Whilst cycling a couple of days ago I spotted what I initially thought was a red kite bird swooping over the neighbourhood.

I've mentioned them before because they have come back from near extinction to gradually spread back around the area. In urban surroundings with mainly smaller birds, the still relatively rare red kites have a significant presence with an almost 2 metre wing-span. I have sometimes seen one of the kites being chased by smaller birds.

When I noticed what I assumed to be the same bird again today it was doing some kind of aerial stunts, diving, spinning and making a sound like a cat. I was close enough to notice the tail didn't look right and realised it was actually a buzzard showing off to its mate. Spring acrobatics.

No decent camera to hand but I managed to snap the bird and its partner. I boosted the shadowy colour and can just make out the distinctive necklace of white.

And after I'd taken just two shots they slid away on some kind of laminar air current. In the car I'd have missed them completely. Even with the mysterious front facing camera.