Having discovered that a Buzzard had visited the bait on Saturday at around 8.30, I decided to try early this morning (Sunday) and I was set up  before 8.30. There was a good feeling about it and I was very optimistic. I had the lumix covering a log with day olds laying invitingly and right where they were when a buzzard came. I was connected wirelessly to the iPad and able to adjust the lighting, focus and shutter speed, all from my chair, out of sight in the caravan, The Pentax, with a 300mm lens was rigged up on a tripod inside and was protruding through the new camouflaged port focused on the trunk and a rabbit carcass.  This camera was set on live view and I could obviously adjust all the perameters on the camera, everything was set up and I was confident that It was going to be a good session,  all I needed was a bird – or perhaps a fox. I lit the gaz stove to boil water for coffee, sat back in my chair and waited for action.  It was pleasant and it got exciting when at first I heard Ravens calling loudly from nearby.  Then a Jay. even closer, began to screech very loudly over and over, it was answered by a Magpie, obviously some kind of aggression was going on.  I hoped the argument was over my bait and I was sure that at least the Jay would come to the rabbit or perhaps the magpie and even as I waited expectantly I heard the Ravens again. I waited and waited but still, today's morning session ended in failure yet again. Pretty soon I am going to have some luck.  However, I think that more than luck is having an impact.  Birds can't count and I am thinking that I am probably seen by distant eyes as I make my way in to the caravan. They see me go and not leave, caution and intelligence tells them it's not safe.  I know of other photographers who always approach a hide accompanied, they then go in and the other person leaves – the birds think you have departed the area as they see a person walk away.  I will have to try this.

Two days later while the majority of the UK was anticipating the hottest September day for years. in the South West we were in the middle of a dreary wet day!  With not a lot else to do I went to check the trail camera at the caravan.  I was pleased on arrival to see that the Rabbit carcass had been fed on, the same pattern had been  repeated – when I am away the buzzards play – but I was more interested that 2 of the day old chicks had been taken and 2 remained. These were on a stump just in front of the new “sensitive” trail cam so I was confident that I had recorded something.  A quick check of the data  showed me that at around 9.30 a buzzard had come in to look at the remaining chicks. It didn’t appear to take one but instead flew from the stump. Was it the bird that had feasted on the rabbit minutes before? Probably which would explain why it left empty handed – if I can use that metaphor.  My plan now is to clear the feeding area of all prey overnight and then come back early tomorrow morning and bait up, then sit it out yet again, hopefully in the dry! It may well be that at least 2 buzzards are visiting but I haven’t recorded evidence of that so far. Previously, I have never seen 2 birds together at the bait which is an interesting observation in itself.

I went back at lunchtime to collect some equipment that I had left behind.  As if to rub salt in to the wounds, I stood by the caravan door but quite in the open.  A buzzard flew in towards me and landed in the trees not far away, it seemed to me that if I hadn’t been there it would have come to the bait for certain.   It quickly flew off. This was quite a development because it looked as though the bird expected to find something to eat. This is what I am hoping to achieve, to habituate the birds to the supply of food. When I left and as I drove back up the lane, there were 2 buzzards, one a light coloured bird that looked to be the one seen a few minutes before and a dark bird which looked the same in coloration to the one that I had filmed on the trail camera.  As usual, the more you put in to something, the more pleasure you get out of it.