After many weeks of hard work.........

Ray Kilham • 14 February 2021

and a different hide...

This day so very nearly didn't take place, so firstly, I have to give a big shout out and thanks to Tragopan, I used their V6 hide, a day or so before I was due to go, I open the hide to check something, to shock and surprize, I found one of the arms on the frame snapped in half, how this took place I had no idea, so as this the only hide I have, what to do, so pictures and email to Tragopan, very quick response, no problem, a free of charge replacement frame would be sent, thanks.

Now a running repair was needed to get me over the problem until the new frame arrived, in my shed I found a bolt more of less the correct side, I remove the head with a hacksaw, coated both ends of the bolt in Araldite, and left it to set. This has worked sort of, the hide does go up, a little bit of a strange shape, but it will do to be going on with.

Right, back to the story, I have been working this location for weeks, feeding and putting up perches, getting some shots, but not really a 100% of what I wanted, today I needed to get really concealed, hence the reason for the hide, so everything was set, the day started very slow, with just a few small birds around and a few lapwing, in the distance the odd Red Kite could been seen.

Now about where I have the main perch is a phone line, now a Kestrel has been around for a while, he came to settle on the line directly above the perch, watching him, I knew, just knew what he was going to do........

My hard work was starting to pay off. After he grabbed the chicken he flew off in the direction of some long grass for cover, knowing the area, i knew that if I didn't press the shutter then, I might lose sight of him in the long grass.

Luck was with me, I managed to get a series of shots with him in flight before he went down. I knew were he had landed, but to the cover, he could only be seen occasionally, therefore it was a waiting game, until....

I think it was the speed of the wind that unnerved him, but he was feeding well. All in all, a good day, worth the effort, will be returning to the venue shortly, just hoping the hide holds out till the new frame arrives.

Again, many thanks to Tragopan for their first class service.

Until the next time...

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