Buzzards

sharkman · 14-09-2004 4:41pm #1

Has anyone else seen the group of Buzzards near St Margarets @ the back of Dublin Airport . I nearly crashed when i saw one sitting on top of a hedge with a rabbit in its tallons .

PH01 · 16-09-2004 9:06am

sharkman wrote:

Has anyone else seen the group of Buzzards near St Margarets @ the back of Dublin Airport . I nearly crashed when i saw one sitting on top of a hedge with a rabbit in its tallons .

Like this guy?
common%20buzzard.jpg

sharkman · 27-06-2005 10:32am

Yep , just like that . I've seen them loads of times now .

boneless · 09-07-2005 3:59pm

Buzzards are the sucess story of raptors in Ireland. 15 years ago there were less than 20 pairs in the north. Now they are to be found all along the east and into parts of the midlands. There are reports of them being seen and breeding within the city limits. I have seen single birds over UCD and the Phoenix Park.

pmac · 08-09-2005 9:19am

I have seen Buzzards on the borders of Carton Estate, Maynooth, Ski Wood beside Lyons Estate, Newcastle, Co. Dublin and yesterday (7/9/05) in Castletown Estate, Celbridge, Co. Kildare.

googs · 14-09-2005 10:29pm

There are a least 2 buzzards currently in the greenbelt area north of Dublin Airport. There was 3 but not sure what happened the other one, some shooters were taking pot shots at two of them but luckily no casualties !!

If you turn left at the roundabout before the coachmans and go up that road 5/600 yards in they are located around that area. This is the last greenbelt left between Swords and the city centre. They are probably the same ones that were spotted in St Margarets Last year. They have been here for about a year now and I see them nearly on a daily basis.

Also around are kestrels, sparrow hawks, barn owls etc, great place for birds of prey

sharkman · 15-09-2005 7:41am

yes , I've seen them there , on quite afew occasions . One sitting on the fence as you come down the slip road from the roundabout on the left . But I believe they are a seperate pod to the St margarets ones as I have seen 4 over keelings Fruit and 3 at the Airport on the same trip ..

googs · 15-09-2005 9:43pm

brilliant sharkman.. they're wonderful sight, lets hope the fingal planners don't over do
the development around the area!!

boneless · 17-09-2005 2:49pm

pmac wrote:

I have seen Buzzards on the borders of Carton Estate, Maynooth, Ski Wood beside Lyons Estate, Newcastle, Co. Dublin and yesterday (7/9/05) in Castletown Estate, Celbridge, Co. Kildare.

I'm just back from the back of the Carton estate... seven birds in the air at once!! Wonderful!!

Have you seen any long eared owls in Newcastle? I heard they are to be found around there.

Scotty # · 09-10-2005 2:48pm

I see these too on a daily basis. I live on Killeek lane near Madigans yard at the back of the airport. If I stand out the back for 10 mins I'll definitely see them, mind you, their about 2 miles up sometimes and then they'll go into a dive and drop 800 feet in about 4 seconds (this is a courtship thing- not for hunting.). I've seen about 6 together which is not unusual they can be in groups of 20 or more.

googs · 13-05-2006 9:02pm

Just a buzzard update from the hinterland of dublin airport ! saw a least 6 buzzards circling together, what a sight.. there could of been 7 but the sun was
very strong ( high up ), they broke up and were all over the area... then one landed for a few seconds on a beech tree down the end of the garden ( garden is full of rabbits... wish they would take some of them as they are having a great time munching on anything I plant out ! ) actually there is a big rabbit population this year and last around the locality and no signs of miximatosis ( sorry can't spell that word but ya get the general idea ) wonder has this got anything to do with the sudden surge in buzzards around the area...

sharkman · 06-06-2006 7:44pm

Saw a pair of Buzzards circling on thermals over Blanchardstown @ the weekend .

Funsterdelux · 08-06-2006 4:41pm

I know of someone who is nursing a female buzzard, wont say where, it was shot in the wing last year she was just a juvenile, so her chances arent great.

williamw · 19-02-2007 1:32pm

i have seen 3 or 4 buzzards (i think they were buzzards) soaring very high over the boyne river, just upstream of slane castle, several times while kayaking.
can anyone confirm if there are buzzards in this area.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 20-02-2007 10:31am

Hi William,

Yes, certainly there are Buzzards in that area. They are becoming plentiful in counties Louth and Meath.

boneless · 21-02-2007 5:02pm

googs wrote:

Just a buzzard update from the hinterland of dublin airport ! saw a least 6 buzzards circling together, what a sight.. there could of been 7 but the sun was
very strong ( high up ), they broke up and were all over the area... then one landed for a few seconds on a beech tree down the end of the garden ( garden is full of rabbits... wish they would take some of them as they are having a great time munching on anything I plant out ! ) actually there is a big rabbit population this year and last around the locality and no signs of miximatosis ( sorry can't spell that word but ya get the general idea ) wonder has this got anything to do with the sudden surge in buzzards around the area...

Lots of rabbits=lots of buzzards!! One of the reasons there is an upsurge in buzzard population is the banning of poison to kill rabbits and other vermin.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-02-2007 11:40am

boneless wrote:

Lots of rabbits=lots of buzzards!! One of the reasons there is an upsurge in buzzard population is the banning of poison to kill rabbits and other vermin.

I have researched Buzzards in the North East for many years now and while Rabbits form part of their diet, they are not as prevalent in the diet of Buzzards as some lead us to believe. Their diet is quite varied and includes frogs, birds, small mammals, as well as rabbits. Carrion is a large portion of their diet and the reason for their decline is closely linked to their taking poison laid on land. Persecution by farmers and game keepers was also a factor.

sharkman · 01-03-2007 4:38pm

Spotted 7 today , in two groups . Both groups over Keelings Fruit farm @ back of Dublin Airport .

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 02-03-2007 11:08am

It's coming in to breeding season now and pairs are re-bonding. Watch for some fine aerial acrobatics over the coming weeks.

Doc Farrell · 04-03-2007 4:38pm

I work near the airport and intend to take some time to try to photograph these damn buzzards! :mad: I thought I saw two the other day but they turned out to be ravens....

Recently I went to the Wicklow hills to photograph a kestrel. I spend hours but couldnt see one.
when I got back to the car there was one sitting on a post next to it. i was so excited and annoyed that it flew off before I remembered to take its picture.

I'm hoping to go to a quiz in the Kingston hotel in Dun Laoughaire on tuesday at 8pm for the South Dublin Branch of Birdwatch Ireland. I don't now anyone there but I have a halfdozen desk calendars I want to donate from my old job, bird calendars. I don't really want to throw them out but they've been sitting on the floor for 3 months. so if you want one, just pm me that you're going to the kingston hotel and i'll see you there, i guess.

ciaran76 · 23-03-2007 5:39pm

I have seen 2 buzzards up around St Magarets and also seen I think its a Sparrow Hawk in Airside retail park at the bottom near where the office type buildings are.

Scotty # · 19-09-2007 7:55pm

Saw 10 at the same time today, two groups of 3 and a group of 4, near Murrphy's Quarry, between Naul and Ballyboughal in nth Co.Dublin

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 20-09-2007 1:00pm

Yes, they are now a common sight from Antrim to Wicklow and further south.

The Hill Billy · 21-09-2007 8:34am

There's been a pair of buzzards hunting regularly in Ardgillan Demesne(between Balbriggan & Skerries) over the past couple of weeks, particularly early morning.

barryfitz · 21-09-2007 9:25am

Does anyone know of any around Laois. There are several up in the woods behind our house. Outside Portlaoise.?

sesswhat · 21-09-2007 2:25pm

They're becoming quite common around East Donegal over the past few years. I've often seen them spending hours catching worms on pasture land.

morke · 06-02-2008 8:10pm

You were not seeing things. A few have been around for the last couple of years. Just this afternoon there was one circling over near the N2/Dunsoughly Castle area and it was one of the few times in my life i regretted not having a camera.

boneless · 07-02-2008 10:41am

barryfitz wrote: »

Does anyone know of any around Laois. There are several up in the woods behind our house. Outside Portlaoise.?

I have seen buzzards on The Heath and at Dunamase Castle. A few years back I sighted what could have been a rough legged buzzard on The Heath but I never was sure enough to report it to BWI officially.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 11-02-2008 1:42pm

Buzzards are now a common sight down the entire east coast.

trabpc · 16-09-2008 7:59pm

Saw one this evening outside Monastrevin heading for Rathangan.

was on a pole and took flight and landed on large oak tree.
lovely bird in flight

12bore · 20-09-2008 12:14pm

There have been a pair around here for about 18 months or so, about 5 miles south of Kilkenny (Bennettsbridge). See them almost every day when I am out on the farm. Come across them eating rats on the top of bales fairly often.

This morning, for the first time, saw 4 of them soaring in the sky. Quite a quiet, still day, very distinctive calling sound. Had the camera with me for once, although they were quite high.

Buzzards

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