Crow in the sycamore

I have been at a combination of building site meetings with architects and managers, visiting Andrew recovering form a hip replacement operation, sorting a client's broadband issues, as well as all the usual stuff. I got home early this afternoon for a short break between these events and as the sun appeared briefly i picked up the old camera at the back door and waited for a bird to appear in an interesting position.

After a while having filled the sunflower feeders I realised the birds weren't interested at this time of day. I turned my attention to the bigger birds which fly just beyond the trees at the end of the garden and noticed several crows landing in odd trees and flying away with big twigs in their mouths. Of course, it is nesting time.

Then I saw a buzzard arise from the sloping hillside down below and behind this tree, circling quickly up and out of the valley. A crow, whether it was this one I don't know, swooped down to attack it and managed to drive it away. I caught some moments of the them dog-fighting but looking up into the light doesn't produce good images, particularly with this old camera and a somewhat cheap lens.

I then saw this crow land with some food in its mouth and it proceeded to eat it off the branch of the old sycamore at the bottom of the garden. I have been looking everyday at the hole in the ash tree which you can see at the bottom right of the picture. I blipped a baby green woodpecker poking its head out of this hole last spring and have been wondering whether it will be used as a breeding nest again this year. I do hope so.