Scandinavian beauty........

A few hours to spare this morning before nights saw me heading for the local patch to see if the juv. Rlb was still around.On arrival and a quick look in the pasture field,saw this stunning raptor briefly hunting before resting in a hawthorn bush accompanied by the usual,unwanted corvid attention,this time by 2 Magpie,which were very interested in their northern visitor.After a spell resting,it began a good hunting session covering most of the ground around the carrs and looked like it was checking out the area for its hoped for wintering.It was interesting to watch as the local corvids tended to be more interested in their new visitor rather than a couple of nearby Common Buzzards,the Commons probably enjoying the respite from their attacks.The bird gave stunning views and was observed on the ground on several occasions,once right next to the parked cars,if only we had been sat in them.This is the 4th Rough-leg i have seen on my local patch now since 2002,finding 2 of them,a beautiful bird!.Also seen today and equally as rare by local patch standards,a small flock of Crossbill which flew into the small pine plantation near to the car park and they gave superb views before chipping away,my first record down here and goes to show you never know what may turn up.The only other notable sightings were a single Redpoll and 3 Siskin.