The Buzzard imitating Jay puts in an appearance.

Monday morning has arrived and I am back in the caravan hide again with the cameras trained on the baited stump, a Buzzard is in the area, I saw it when I arrived, gliding over the fields half a mile away and now I can hear it, or another calling nearby. I had put out dead day old chicks ( pet trade food) when I left last night and something has taken them. They were high on a log that foxes wouldn't be able to get at. I am hoping for Jays to come in for them which they have done very regularly in previous years. When I arrived a while ago, Jays were nearby so, I would suspect that they have taken them, a good result. I am very fond of a colourful Jay.

Other birds around the area include a calling Chiffchaff, Robin, Wren and a Blackbird.

The minutes tick by as I sit and wait but suddenly when a Buzzard eventually lands it will be out of the blue and unannounced. They either circle from above or sit and watch from a safe perch before making their move.

The waiting can be tedious and I have lost count of the numerous hours sat in hides waiting for all manner of birds, usually with success so the waiting is balanced by some glorious excitement.

After 2 hours and without any success yet, I suddenly heard a Buzzard quite close and I got ready for what I imagined was going to be the arrival of a bird of prey to the bait. But I was duped! There, on a pile of peanuts was an old friend a "buzzard imitating" Jay! This has got to be the same bird that has been coming to my peanut offerings for three years now. It was in 2012 whenI first realised that all was not what it seemed and quite often the sound of a Buzzard was in fact this bird. He filled up his crop with the usual 20 or so peanuts and then off he went to stash them somewhere as Jays do, calling like a proper jay as he went……..and still no Buzzardso far.

After quite a wait, 2 magpies came down to the rabbit and gave some great photo opportunities. It's not often I get chance to watch and photograph magpies up close, they always keep their distance because thy are so clever and also persecuted by just about everyone. Even people who only have a passing interest in wildlife hate them. They need to have their wits about them or they wouldn't survive, hence their caution.

Then, just as I thought I would wait all day if that's what it took for a Buzzard to come down, the maize in the adjoining field started to be harvested. When this had happened in previous years this was accompanied by a gaggle of guns. Ths is hardly conducive to a quiet wildlife photography session, so it was time to call it a day in the hope that the magpies and foxes that I Iove so much kept well clear for the rest of the day.