Evening all,
Like a lot of people I have noticed an increase is sightings of Ravens in Dorset in the last five years or so. It is now common to see a pair or two of Ravens whilst out deer stalking on most days however tonight was something else................
This evening I was up a highseat, on the edge of a wood, on the downland to the north of Dorchester, midway between Dorchester and Sherborne. After being in the seat for about twenty minutes I heard a raven calling a little behind me (over the wood to my rear), couldnt see it, but heard it clearly (as is often the case). It passed, and all went quiet. About five minutes later I heard another raven calling off to my right and when I looked in that direction I couldnt believe my eyes, I counted 18 ravens in one sighting all at once. I watched as they gently flew towards me slightly over the wood, in two;s and threes, with more coming into view behind them every few minutes. Well pretty much the whole time I was in the highseat I had ravens passing overhead from right to left along the face of the wood. In the end I counted over 40 Ravens passing me and heading off over a far wood. They were definitely not all the same birds circling as I watched then disappear out of sight to my left as more birds came into view from my right.
Well, to say I was gobbsmacked is an understatement, as I had no idea they were so numerous. I can only presume they were congregating and making their way to a nearby roost.
To put this into context, I have seen more ravens tonight than I have in total in the last ten years!!
I reckon in Dorset at least, they are here to stay
Anybody else got any Raven experience in Dorset, or their local surroundings ??
Like a lot of people I have noticed an increase is sightings of Ravens in Dorset in the last five years or so. It is now common to see a pair or two of Ravens whilst out deer stalking on most days however tonight was something else................
This evening I was up a highseat, on the edge of a wood, on the downland to the north of Dorchester, midway between Dorchester and Sherborne. After being in the seat for about twenty minutes I heard a raven calling a little behind me (over the wood to my rear), couldnt see it, but heard it clearly (as is often the case). It passed, and all went quiet. About five minutes later I heard another raven calling off to my right and when I looked in that direction I couldnt believe my eyes, I counted 18 ravens in one sighting all at once. I watched as they gently flew towards me slightly over the wood, in two;s and threes, with more coming into view behind them every few minutes. Well pretty much the whole time I was in the highseat I had ravens passing overhead from right to left along the face of the wood. In the end I counted over 40 Ravens passing me and heading off over a far wood. They were definitely not all the same birds circling as I watched then disappear out of sight to my left as more birds came into view from my right.
Well, to say I was gobbsmacked is an understatement, as I had no idea they were so numerous. I can only presume they were congregating and making their way to a nearby roost.
To put this into context, I have seen more ravens tonight than I have in total in the last ten years!!
I reckon in Dorset at least, they are here to stay
Anybody else got any Raven experience in Dorset, or their local surroundings ??