High Winds

I made my regular visit up on to the Malvern Hills yesterday.

I took a quick look around Chat Valley, pretty quite really

a single Wheatear was the only bird I could manage. A bit

different from in the week when I found Stonechat and Redstart

there.

Next I made way over to the Beacon but it didn't look good.

Low cloud hung onto the hill and it looked as though it was

there to stay. I made my way up anyway hoping it would soon

clear. I reached the summit and the low cloud hadn't budged.

I looked around anyway struggling to see through the cloud

but there was very little about, a single Wheatear (this one's

been here for most of the week) and a single Meadow Pipit.

I stayed for a while hoping the cloud would clear so I

could have a better look around and maybe try for a few more
shot's of the Wheatear but it didn't look good. Not wanting

to waste anymore time I headed over towards North Hill.

The Wheatear.

North Hill was pretty quite, nothing on the summit itself but
there was a few Kestrels hunting along the slopes. It was
extremely windy up there but It made good for the Kestrels.
I settled down and attempted to get a few shot's, it wasn't
easy in the high winds but I did enjoy it. While watching
I had glimpses of drifting Peregrines and two almost white
Buzzards, these remained distant though mainly hunting over
Sugarloaf Hill.

After a couple of hours with the Kestrels I made my way
down, I couldn't stick the wind any longer. It's hard enough
getting flight shot's anyway without the added wind to deal with.
On the way back I found two more Wheatear at the bottom
of the hill but that was it, pretty quite all round.

I was hoping to find something a bit special on the hills but I'm
probably a bit early yet, hopefully the coming weeks will be
better. I'll keep you posted.