Scale Soaring UK

I was privileged to share some cracking lift today with a peregrine falcon over Sutton Bank. He sat behind my 4.2m Ka6 as we climbed to 600m, then lost interest and jetted off West. I wasn't about to give chase, what with him being the fastest creature on the planet. But I did manage to catch a couple of photos before he left. Although he was only a few yards away, I'm afraid it's a small image due to the extra-wide angle lens.

After he'd gone I continued to 800m then bottled out as there was powerful wave lift working today. I'll never forget getting sucked up to 1250m in wave many years ago and losing sight of the model for several sickening minutes. Still talking that one through in therapy.

Rog

Nothing quite like soaring with a raptor Rog.

Image posting seems to have sorted itself out?

Well done Rog, I have done this loads of times with the Bussards at my local slope but never managed to get them in shot. Possibly because they always stay behind my models (wise birds).
Brian

It's kites and ravens usually on our local slope with the occasional buzzard, kestrel and peregrine for good measure.

B Sharp wrote:Well done Rog, I have done this loads of times with the Bussards at my local slope but never managed to get them in shot. Possibly because they always stay behind my models (wise birds).
Brian

Rear facing camera?????



BC

Well done Roger, nice story, thanks for sharing. My slopes are near the sea so its flocks of sea gulls for me unfortunitly.

Nice one Roger, all at MW yesterday watched a red kite being very nosey of AEB,s black nickers on the tow line

Thanks for your comments chaps.

As Brian said, predators do tend to follow you, and I had to turn rapidly to catch these photos. They were grabbed from a video as the peregrine whizzed past. I may try Barry's idea of a rear-facing camera.

Loving this aerial photography by the way. This was only my second flight with a camera, hastily taped onto Ka6 nose, but even so it's all very enticing. I think to avoid the lucky-dip of not knowing what you shot until you land, I may eventually install some FPV gear. But for now I'll experiment with camera angles, resolutions and still-modes (maybe 1 shot per 5 sec). CW's videos are an inspiration.

Here's another screen-grab of video from 3000ft. The cliff I launch from is bottom left and the Yorkshire Gliding Club is by the cliff top left. Our home is across the green field to the right of the lake.

Rog

Brill Rog!

love this stuff, had a close one of one of our coastal cliffs t'other day, a couple of 'interested' Kites.

A privilege to share the airspace eh?

Ell x

Elliot Howells wrote: A privilege to share the airspace eh?

That's exactly how I felt. Sharing the same updraft and the same mutual curiosity. It was a strangely moving experience.