Ashdown Forest 18/6/14

Yet another day up in Ashdown, but it wasn't as good as yesterday. The Short-toed Eagle's routine was slightly different today, mainly due to the weather, but continued its hunting regime in Gills Lap area during the afternoon. A fantastic display of hunting was witnessed, and finally resulted in a hefty catch, I'm assuming a Grass Snake due to the size.

When  I arrived on the SW side of the valley, I saw the bird perched in a pine with help from others directly opposite me. I then just sat myself on the path and for the next 1.5 hrs, I just sat and admired this beauty.

The bird flew very close affording terrific scope views, and even better I was on my own with the nearest birder being over half a mile away. Unfortunately a photographer decided to clamber over the heather and get closer to the perched bird, but I shouted at him from a distance and he thankfully returned back to the path. 

full crop!! After having its snack, the Eagle flew around for 5 minutes before drifting down the valley, and as I write this, it has not returned to Gills Lap or Long CP.