Work done time for a reward........

Lanner falcon
Scientific name: Falco biarmicus

Lanner falcons are powerful birds that are built for speed. They are closely related to the fastest bird on Earth, the Peregrine falcon. Lanner falcons are also very agile birds and can change direction very quickly whilst in flight.

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Ready for the next task, Severn Lady and Eva waiting patiently at Sharpness......

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Steller's Sea-eagle
Haliaeetus pelagicus

An immense and rare bird, the Steller’s Sea eagle is a true behemoth, weighing almost double that of the Bald eagle. It’s unmistakable with its handsome black and white plumage and tremendous orange beak. There are just 5,000 or so Steller’s Sea eagles left in the wild, so where do they live?

Steller’s Sea eagles have a very small distribution range. They breed only in eastern Russia, along the coasts and islands of the Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea. Most breed in the remote Kamchatka peninsula, on Sakhalin island, and in Amurland, at the Russia-China border.

In the winter, these eagles head south to the Kuril Islands, Russia, and Hokkaido island, Japan, particularly Shiretoko and Furen-ko. Some wintering birds end up as far south as Korea and Taiwan, though this has become exceptionally rare in the past two to three decades.

This is a captive one seen at Noah's Ark Bristol

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It all looks quiet and peaceful, but when you look closely it is surprising just how many are out there......

The view out over the Tack piece from The Stephen Kirk hide.

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Chaffinch (f)
Scientific name: Fringilla coelebs

The chaffinch is a very common, sparrow-sized finch of gardens, woodland, parks and farmland. Chaffinches build neat, bowl-shaped nests in trees and shrubs. They feed on seeds and insects and will happily visit birdtables, but do not feed openly on feeders, preferring to hop about on the ground and under hedges instead. Chaffinches are present all year-round and more than 6 million pairs breed here in summer. They have a loud, pleasant song.

Did you know?
The chaffinch is also known as the 'bachelor finch': the males spend the winter near to their breeding territories, while the females migrate further south.

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