Middlebere, Dorset, 3rd January 2010

In the last 3 years since I have been back from living and working abroad, Middlebere is probably the place I have visited most, usually in winter with the hope of seeing (and trying to photograph) Hen Harrier. Some days you don't see them at all, some days you see them distantly but some days although you have to sit in freezing conditions for a while, you get lucky! Just a shame that this is still one of the most persecuted Raptors in the UK or maybe they wouldn't be so rare.

Gigrin Farm, Wales, December 28th 2009 Part 3

More shots from Gigrin Farm.

Gigrin Farm, Wales, December 28th 2009 Part 2

More shots from Gigrin Farm, on looking closer I noticed the raptor in the picture above, looked very like the Black Kite/ Asiatic Black Eared Kite that has turned up, from as yet unknown origin.

Gigrin Farm, Wales, December 28th 2009 Part 1

I had a couple of holiday days off work to take over the Christmas period, so I wanted to practice with my new camera, somewhere I was very likely to get good shots, so it had to be Gigrin Farm again!

The weather looked bad for every day I was off, so I nearly didn't go, but my mum said at the last minute if I went the next day she would come along, I didn't really want to do a 10hr round trip in the car by myself, so off we went!

For taking pictures of Red Kites this place is just so easy, turn up at the right time, point your lens in the right direction and there you go! Seriously though this has to be one of the best places in the UK for Wildlife photography, especially -like me, if you like Raptors.