These birds must be 'Raven' mad, if you'll excuse the pun?

Ravens nest about now, generally the first of our native birds to do so and these two are trying to steal a rabbit from a Buzzard up on the Downs above Lewes. In Scotland the first birds to nest are usually Golden Eagles, taking advantage of the extreme cold that sometimes freezes all sorts of prey to death, including sheep, which means easy pickings and plenty to feed themselves the youngsters.

The Ravens build a huge nest of dead sticks, on a ledge in one or other of the Lewes chalk quarries.

Up until three years ago there was a nest in Southerham grey pit but shortly after their four chicks fledged there was a huge cliff fall that swept the nest away and, as not all of our quarries are suitable as nest sites, I decided not to look for the new one in case I disturbed them.

They are perhaps the most intelligent of the corvid family, certainly the most vocal. One of my all time favourite birds. I often wonder who would win in a fight here? The Raven or the Buzzard? What do you think? I picked up an injured buzzard once; hit by a truck in front of me in the Lake District and I thought dead but after putting it on the passenger seat of my car and continuing to work, it woke up and went crazy! All I could do was to zip it up in my fleece and by the time I arrive at the local vet's surgery my white shirt was a red shirt and the vet ignored my wounds going straight to his patient first. He was a very kind and knowledgeable fellow and assured me that the birds seemingly aggressive behaviour was in fact defensive and that the only British bird that is actively aggressive is the Tawny owl that deliberately goes for the eyes of a human if worried about his own or his families life. I kept that Buzzard for 14 months until it regrew flight feathers and released it into the wild.

So, who would win this battle?

Neither, as neither are aggressive, nor daft enough to risk injury over just one meal. It's a game, practice and a lesson for the kids.