Buzzard

Garry Edwards

Garry Edwards

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Garry Edwards
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There's a pair of buzzards living on the farm next to ours, about 3/4 of a mile away. I've seen them, at a distance, from time to time but on Thursday one of them flew around for ages, clearly hunting, just before dusk, and came within 10 metres of me at one point.

To describe it as magnificent would be an understatement, it's agility is breathtaking, it changed direction and speed with just a tiny movement of its wings, and fluttered its wings to keep absolutely still when it thought it saw something worth a close look.

No photos because it fascinated me and I didn't want to lose sight of it whilst I went to get a camera:(

I'm pretty sure that we've lost the occasional free-range hen to them, and suspect odd losses of new-born lambs, but they have to earn their living.
 
Hopefully they will still be around come spring their mating rituals are something to behold.
The odd chicken maybe but I very much doubt they are the cause of any lamb losses unless killed by something else.
 
Thanks for that. I know nothing about them, but kind of assumed that they may take new lambs. We guard them closely against foxes until they've been back in the field for a few days, have never seen a buzzard take one but have seen them overhead, so kind of assumed that they regarded them as a meal - not that there's anything we can do to stop them anyway - shooting foxes = good, shooting protected species = don't even think about it.

Do they follow their mating rituals even when they're a long-established pair?
 
Thanks. I'll do some research, and the farmer whose land they live on is a friend who is very much into encouraging wildlife, he's pretty knowledgeable and will be a good starting point.
 
We used to watch the buzzards that nested in a tree, which was a few hundred yards from the house we lived in for a few years,

There was something hypnotic about the way they circled ever upwards on their evening patrol.
 
One of my favourite birds. I remember them fondly over the South Wales Valleys when I was a lad. A pal and myself watched a pair for several years, that returned to the same tree to nest during that time. They usually lay 2 eggs, sometimes 3. Not always does the whole brood make it to fledging, sometimes with the stronger of the 2(3) being the only one.

Buzzards normally eat carrion, sheep afterbirth is one of their favourites, as well as dead rabbits but anything dead really. If they are pushed and hungry, they will hunt but that's a risky business for them. They will eat large insects, dragonflies and suchlike.

Posssibly, the 'hunting' behaviour you saw was soaring, they will find a rising thermal and practically float on it to great heights, so high they can almost be out of sight. They make a 'mewing' call sometimes as they soar.

We get them over the house here and they nest in the nearby woods. A farm I used to shoot on had a regular nesting pair, they seem to be on the increase as I usually at least hear one on my outings.

Absolutely beautiful birds.

If you fancy some images of them, if you ever have a dead lamb/sheep/deer/chicken, put it out in a field, hide yourself in the hedgerows or edge of a wood, give it time and you will get your shot. (y)
 
I have 3 buzzards that fly over my house regularly will have to set up my camera ready one of these days, they have been around me for many years now but, never think of taking out my camera when going into my garden.

I live in a built-up area in the Midlands being that I have buzzards I'm waiting for the Kites to show they are not too far away at the moment.

I do have photos of them in my garden after a pigeon that was killed by a Sparrowhawk and left behind in my pond. I did recover it and put it on the lawn in case it came back but, no the Buzzards finished it off.

Trevor
 
There is a breeding pair in my locality (used to be 2 pairs, but there is a persecution problem). One winter I saw a buzzard nail a stoat. The stoat was in it's Ermine (white) coat. There was no snow on the ground. Quite a sight.
 
I see them at home some times, but not as nearly as many as in Scotland. Beautiful creatures, but not as spectacular as the White-tailed Sea Eagle.
 
Garry Edwards said:
Thanks for that. I know nothing about them, but kind of assumed that they may take new lambs. We guard them closely against foxes until they've been back in the field for a few days, have never seen a buzzard take one but have seen them overhead, so kind of assumed that they regarded them as a meal - not that there's anything we can do to stop them anyway - shooting foxes = good, shooting protected species = don't even think about it.

Do they follow their mating rituals even when they're a long-established pair?
Click to expand...

Even a large female will only weigh just over a Kg, more likely just cleaning up after the birth of the lambs.

This is probably the most dramatic part of their mating ritual.

View: https://youtu.be/6frYNaoGDJw?si=OwAtj6eCGfGWjFUc


they lock talons and plumet breaking of sometimes only at the last second.
 
Thanks for that.
I take your point, I had no idea that they weigh so little, given their massive size.
I just assumed that they take new-born lambs, a few disappear without trace, and I've seen the buzzards circling above them so just put 2 and 2 together and ended up with 5:)
 
We have a pair on our farm. They've been here years. Love to see them. When the young fledge, it's not uncommon to see 4-5 of them flying round.

We've lost countless chickens to them, but they would ever tackle a lamb unless it was already dead. They are carrion feeders too. Not that the crows around here give them much chance.

Its interesting because we have a rookery in the same wood as the buzzards, and they are always mobbing each other.
 
Yes, crows are a menace, and very hard to control. If I have a shotgun with me they're out of range and on the ground, if I have a .22 with me they're too far away and I need a .17 HMR, and if I have the .17 they're flying and need a shotgun - they have a great survival instinct.
 
I've seen crows peck the eyes out of newborn lambs and a ewe kick the crap out of a fox that was trying it on.

Often see stacks of 5+ Buzzards around the g*lf course as well as the breeding displays.

Also get Kestrels, Sparrowhawks and occasional Red Kites there.
 
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