HARASSMENT

I thought I'd get a blip along Smelly Factory Road* in the fading afternoon light if I was lucky, and I was. When I drive along there - and it's only about quarter of a mile long - I usually pull onto the verge as soon as I can to take the camera out of the bag, turn off the radio and put the window down so that I can be ready if I spot something as I creep along the road. In fact this heron, being harassed by crows, was perched on a fence about 20 yards from the car as I lowered the window. They chased him off just after I took the photo. I had to tweak the sharpness a bit as the light was so poor. Further along the road (proper name: Zinc Works Road) there were two kestrels resting on wires above and a series of parked cars with birders and photographers looking for the short-eared owls that hunt over the adjoining fields. I happened to spot one landing on a distant fence as I drove along so I pulled in and got a photo (extra), though not what it would have been if I'd had their tripods and giant lenses.

* The vile smell from the "natural" flavourings and food additives factory is now enhanced by equally vile smells from the giant landfill site at the other end of the road, none of which seems to deter the wildlife.