I went out on the Chinese bike this morning to look for the reported Brambling at Chiverstone Farm, Kenton. I spent more than an hour with a chap called Dave from Budleigh and in spite of looking through the flocks of Chaffinch through a scope still no Bramblings I am afraid.
On the way back through the back lanes on the Chinese Bike I came upon a Buzzard in a road-side tree as, I came around the corner there he was. I stopped on the bike and the buzzard remained in the tree even though we were only 12 feet apart. He looked down at me and didn't even fly when I lifted the camera up and started to take pictures. He was still there after a few minutes and 20 photos. I adjusted a few things on the camera to try for the best shot……… and he still didn't fly.  I was holding the tripod and trying to secure it on the seat of the bike and hardly managed to get it 100% rock solid. I switched the engine off and then the bird decided enough was enough. Interesting that all the time we had an engine on he wasn't threatened but the instant I switched off he sensed danger. It's not easy to take photos balanced on a bike with a tripod and camera and crash hat on but I haven't done too bad. It's the closest I have ever been to a Buzzard with a camera in my hand by far.