Raptor migration

The raptor migratory season seems to have started.  These raptors were seen to fly, glide and hover over the taman, enjoying the thermal, which is defined as follows:

“A thermal is a mass of rising hot air produced by the intense heating of the forest. This usually comes about on the south side of a mountain slope due to its position in relation to the autumn sun. The thermal would take the raptors thousands of feet in the sky. No flapping or the wings, just get lifted and glides. Knowing the conditions of the thermal, the Raptors would then switch to gliding in circles. This way the bird capitalized on techs strongest effects in the thermal which lifts them to higher altitudes. Up to a point, the bird would then venture straight into a southerly direction and disappear into the horizon.”

Unfortunately the birds were too high for proper identification.  They came, they glided, and off they flew well away.