roadside buzzards

[chimpy leon]

Anyone else noticed the amount of buzzards perched by the side of rural roads lately? Theres been about 6 separate occasions since the start of the year where ive seen them perched motionless on low tree braches, fences or on the ground, staring at the road. All occasions were in and around the east shropshire area.

Possibly they are there after an easy meal due to it being a hard time of year. Ive just never seen this behaviour before until now. Anyone else witnessed this?

 

[British Red]

As you say, they are scavengers so just waiting on some roadkill. I've seen them do it for decades. Thought one was an old sack once until it took off and hit the windscreen of my land cruiser at nose height.

Cleared up my constipation in a split second.

 

[bobnewboy]

Not buzzards, but plenty of red kites in my travels to/from Newbury. I think they are hanging around waiting for a free meal. There were two fawns within a few miles of each other on the sides of the A339 last week, so not a bad strategy.

 

[Paul_B]

Used to see it on my drive through southern uplands on way to Glasgow and beyond. I'm sure I'd see at least one on the same stretch each time I passed. That's for last decade or so. Easy feed is their goal.

 

[Barn Owl]

They're ousting the Kestrel in that habitat

 

[Joonsy]

just normal behaviour for buzzards chimpy leon, sometimes they gather in groups when fields are being ploughed as well, I once saw a group of eleven buzzards on a newly ploughed field near Albrighton/Shropshire, I can only guess they were after worms brought to the surface by the plough. Buzzards are very common indeed nowadays and you even see them on wasteland/parkland in urban places, i've often seen them along the motorway corridor right in the middle of the Black Country.

 

[Toddy]

They're more easily seen just now too with all the leaves off.

Try whistling for them
A high long, tailing off at the end, "Wheeeeeee", repeated just as you take the time to draw a long breath, and if they're soaring they'll gyre back to come and see what's making the noise

Kind of brilliant when you can call the birds like that
They circle a bit and when they see nothing they just glide off.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Clouston98]

There's tons of them round here, it's not uncommon to see two or three in a day. That's obviously when you're out and moving between areas but still an awful lot. They are pretty big birds and you know one when you see it. Saw a barn owl in broad daylight at about 12ft high in full flight- a sight to behold!

 

[British Red]

W used to get seven or eight at a time going up on the thermal off our concrete drive in Hampshire Cameron. You would see dozens in a day there



Buzzard Stack by British Red, on Flickr

 

[Clouston98]

That's plenty! A lot of them to see at once, I know what you mean about the thermals- they do that here too- soaring high up for an awfully long time just circling around

 

[Trencakey]

If I didn't see at least 15 on my morning dog walk I'd think there was something wrong ! Loads around here.I picked one up from the middle of the road a couple of years ago,poor thing was exhausted.I put it in the shade and went back a hour later and it had gone.

 

[santaman2000]

That's plenty! A lot of them to see at once, I know what you mean about the thermals- they do that here too- soaring high up for an awfully long time just circling around

Thermals have two benefits for scavenging birds: 1) they obviously keep them aloft with minimal effort, and 2) they carry the scent of decaying food up to the birds.

 

[Gaudette]

Usual behaviour they tend to spend less time in the air in the winter months.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Filterhoose]

It's great to see Buzzards and other raptors making a recovery after the effect that DDT had on them during the 50's and 60's.


Windy

 

[MT606]

loads near me aswell, they live in the woodland about 80m from my front door n go up the valley looking for bunnies, grouse etc, big sods compared to the family of kestrels about. love their call aswell....

 

[John Fenna]

Our local village is called "Boncath" a version of "Bwncath" - which is Welsh for "Buzzard".
All the 30+ years we have lived here there have been loads of Buzzards in the area - but now their numbers seem to be on a dramatic decline.
Mind you this is probably because we have had a huge increase in the population of the once very rare Red Kites!
We really do seem to have more Kites than Buzzards these days

 

[Filterhoose]

Red Kite re-introduction is a fantastic achievment right up there with Sea Eagles imho

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverande...rn/birdguide/name/r/redkite/conservation.aspx

Windy

 

[John Fenna]

Erm - all ours are native Welsh Kites - none of your Spanish (or whatever) imports that have repopulated England and now parts of Scotland.
The Kites around here are descended from a core breeding population that survived in Mid-Wales.
With protection from poison and shooting the population has grown and spread down the river valleys and I have even seen them flying over the coastline. We also have a good population of Peregrines - so the Kites had best steer clear of the cliffs!
In 2000 I was canoeing up the back of Mallaig on Loch Morar and saw several Sea Eagles - they are BIG!

 

[Old Bones]

Red Kites have been very successful - and have been pretty quick in building up numbers. A decade ago, we would see them possibley along the main A road from North Cambridgeshire into Northamptonshire, which was the main release area. About 3-4 years ago, they were pretty easy to see around Oundle, and there were occassional sightings in the large country park near Peterborough. 2 years ago I saw one right in the centre of the town. Now, they come over my house fairly regularly, which is right in the centre of town, and when we see them over my kids school, my children barely notice them - sightings are that common.

I fairly sure that I saw a buzzard over my house the other day, and we apparently have had a local sparrowhawk as well for some years. As for the kestral, the raptor bloke which came to the school were I work a couple of weeks back (the kids were gobsmacked) reckons there is one for every mile of motorway, which sounds about right when we are driving on them.

 

[Filterhoose]

In 2000 I was canoeing up the back of Mallaig on Loch Morar and saw several Sea Eagles - they are BIG!

Like flying barn doors

So is Morar, and deep. In fact methinks I've read it is the deepest stretch of open water in europe. Its also one windy mother of a loch to get stuck on. First hand experience. I wonder if the Welsh Red Kites care if they are Welsh.


Windy