Garden and Doorway Sky Watch!

After a moody sky all morning the forecast thunder storm eventually arrived late afternoon with some rain.

It sounded like Northowram area were getting a lot more of the storm than Bradshaw.

I just managed an hours sky watch in the garden (moving to the doorway for shelter when the storm arrived).

I was watching the area above the Oats Royd conifers where there were a few Swallows and Raptors about.

5 Separate sighting of Raptors this afternoon - all probably Sparrowhawk.

However, one particular small looking Raptor, glided past the Swallow, with the Swallow not mobbing it at all?

The rest of the  them were accompanied by mobbing Crows - even when the downpour came, the Crows kept up the relentless pursuit of any Raptors in their air space.

The distance and the heavy rain mean that the photos are probably worse that useless but I've posted a few of the 'better' ones anyway.

I could not see the birds in the viewfinder, of my camera, at this zoom level, so I just pointed it in the general direction an hoped for the best!

Also passing were a large flock of small birds that were probably Goldfinch, although I cannot get any colour into the photo.

At one point 12 Mistle Thrush landed on a Pylon near home.

Funnily enough it was quite enjoyable watching from the door way and the thunder roared and the lightening flashed occasionally.

Cropped from above.