Buzzard Observations

We're blessed to have 3 here that we see on a near enough daily basis. I’ll never tire of the sight & sounds of them. There are also 100’s of crows here & they seem to live quite happily side by side. However yesterday there was a commotion in the air – a pack of crows were attacking one of the buzzards mid flight. It went on for ages & wasn’t nice to watch. Any idea why they would do this?

whyulittle wrote: »

Always read the small print Sport.

Excellent life advice Just saw it...

cotton wrote: »

We're blessed to have 3 here that we see on a near enough daily basis. I’ll never tire of the sight & sounds of them. There are also 100’s of crows here & they seem to live quite happily side by side. However yesterday there was a commotion in the air – a pack of crows were attacking one of the buzzards mid flight. It went on for ages & wasn’t nice to watch. Any idea why they would do this?

this happens all the time especially when the crows have young, they're just trying to scare off the buzzards. the buzzards could take them if they wanted.:)

I've spent a bit of time on the Erne and have never seen one up that direction.

Its thats time of year again when buzzards start a soaring. The Irsih Raptor Study Group initiated a Buzzard Soaring Survey in 2011 and we are continuing the survey starting THIS weekend until 17 April. Get involved and cover a 10km square from the map. Red squares are those left over from 2011 and yellow are new squares added for 2012. If you are interested email Damian Clarke <damian.clarke@ahg.gov.ie> or Allan Mee <allanmee@goldeneagle.ie> for survey instructions, maps and info. What better way to end the winter blues:-)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Golden-Eagle-Trust/144404808950774?ref=ts&v=wall

There's normally one perched on the Straffan/Maynooth Road.

Specifically, heading towards Maynooth, this pylon on the left.
http://g.co/maps/edxn4

Also, the one that roosts locally to me has reappeared and is roosting in the same spot. Came in a 18:13 yesterday. Hope we get a nest this year. That would be amazing.

Had one hover directly overhead yesterday also, not more than 40 feet and calling to another. Spectacular.

whyulittle wrote: »

I would love to know what this Buzzard had up in the tree with it, was just too far away.

It doesn't look like a rabbit or hare, the closest thing it looks like to me is a Fox!

Its probably a piece of hide off a carcass of some sort - While a buzzard might be capable of picking up a very small fox cub, rabbit etc. an adult fox would be way too heavy for it(even the much bigger golden eagles in Donegal take only fox cubs as live prey going on observations from nests there in the past 5 years or so). Personally i monitor about 5 buzzard plucking posts in and around Blessington and I've yet to find any fox remains, though I'm sure they would scavange any dead fox they came across, which is what probably what happened in your pic:)

PS: Looking at that photo again it might just be a piece of brown wrapping/ paper. I've seen buzzards on landfill sites playing/flying off with bits of rubbish they find in such circumstances.

whyulittle wrote: »

Unfortunately I didn't get so see as the bird flew off and see how it fell/drifted to the ground. It looked 'solid' enough through the bins.

Sounds like a piece of hide with some flesh attached so - it gives that impression at a distance. A couple of years back on a trip to Kenya, I saw a Tawny eagle at the top of an Acacia bush with what looked like the rear end of a calf. On closer inspection it turned out to be the back leg of a goat attached to a piece of hide. I have a few photos of Tawny eagles feeding on carcasses which I must dig out again:cool:

Birdnuts wrote: »

While a buzzard might be capable of picking up a very small fox cub, rabbit etc. an adult fox would be way too heavy for it.

PS: Looking at that photo again it might just be a piece of brown wrapping/ paper. I've seen buzzards on landfill sites playing/flying off with bits of rubbish they find in such circumstances.

Possibly a roadkill fox that's dried out a bit in our good weather and hence much lighter?

Or maybe paper as you suggest, for nesting maybe. I've seen the starlings in my roof bring some big pieces of cardboard back only to discover they can't fit them through the whole... and the sticks!!! Sticks as big as golf clubs... I don't know what they do be thinking.

The two that were here all winter have moved out, have not seen them for months now.

I've nothing to back up that it's a fox, just what it looks like through my squinting eyes!

Looks like I have a new spot to keep an eye on though - two of them there again today.


This one was looking a little battered.

At your home place, or Boora?

Interesting!

See them most days here in the North West-Derry, very distinctive shriek, they are harassed by the crows/jackdaws, majestic soaring high on a summer's day.