Buzzards

meathstevie

It's nice to see a few proper predators flying around. Magnificent bird. There's a couple of them on a big tillage farm in my area in Meath. I've sat watching them for a good bit over the last few months while trying to keep the crows and pigeons from the fields. As a hunter I wouldn't begrudge them their daily ration of fresh meat. At the end of the day I do exactly the same as they do : take food from nature's basket.

trabpc

any chance of seeing those pic's?

dodgyme

saw a few buzzards today. Suspected I may have saw one before but today I was convinced by the big tail and the circling at different heights and the screeching calls (so piercing)- wonderful.

cotton

We had 2 in the field beside us last year. I hadn't seen them in ages but my partner saw them in the field behind us the other day...with 4 more.

The Hill Billy

I was only thinking last Satuday morning that I hadn't seen any buzzards in my back garden/field in months (they are regular visitors). Lo & behold on Saturday afternoon there was a big un' circling - it appeared to be riding thermals - & calling to another who was (unseen) in the parkland beside my place (possibly a young buzzard being shown the ropes?).

The Hill Billy

No less than 7 buzzards yesterday afternoon over the fields at the back of my house for almost an hour. Amazing to watch & listen.

bogtreader

Two buzzards flying around the druids glen marriott today about 2 o clock great to see them.keeping an eye out for red kite next:)

karlkop

hi to all who posted about buzzards i thought i was the only one who was seeing these wonderful birds over the past 3 years since moving to lusk ,
almost every morning while driving on the m1 i have seen the pair around the coachmans flyover fantastic birds i like all birds but these are specail
lately i have been seeing more and more of them all along the m1 motor way , in lusk i see them soaring high up 6 to 7 at a time with there high pitch call brillant , even better to see them soaring low to get an idea how big they really are was in ardgillan castle and they have a stuffed buzzard in a case from years ago before they dissapeared , great to see them back

barryfitz

boneless wrote: »

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.

They are the ones. I captured a few pics of them at the weekend. See thread here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055412551

boneless

barryfitz wrote: »

They are the ones. I captured a few pics of them at the weekend. See thread here.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055412551

I just replied to your other post before I saw this one.

mushykeogh

Was just driving home today from blanchardstown to ratoath via kilbride on the back road. I had seen a really big bird of prey around the same area before. Anyway, there today was this very large bird perched on a post, i stopped to get alook and the bird flew off, it had a massive wingspan, maybe a metre? very brown back and wings, almost kestrel like colour, anyway it seems from your posts that its prob a buzzard, il try and get photos. Size wise it was very big, i even thought it might have been a golden eagle!. It looked maybe 20 inches in length bodywise. Havent been into birds since i was a kid but this was very big!

sharkman

Some photos I took today over Swords :

hiwayman

Hi
Saw my first buzzard about 8 years ago and then the odd one once every few years. But the last year or so they have become more common in Co. Cavan (even though some of my friends in the local gun club will shoot them on sight).this summer a pair nested nearby and we've had some great sightings and we still here and see them from time to time.

cuddlycavies

You need to report your ''friends'' in the gun club to your club president for expulsion and to your local Gardai for prosecution and possible loss of licence.

hiwayman

cuddlycavies wrote: »

You need to report your ''friends'' in the gun club to your club president for expulsion and to your local Gardai for prosecution and possible loss of licence.

It's not as simple as that. I'm not involved in the gun club, but my very good friend who is, believes the buzzard is a treat to their pheasants. It's not a position I like to be in, but I'm not prepared to fall out with him.

Anyway, the point is, despite this, the buzzards are doing fine.

Birdnuts

hiwayman wrote: »

It's not as simple as that. I'm not involved in the gun club, but my very good friend who is, believes the buzzard is a treat to their pheasants. It's not a position I like to be in, but I'm not prepared to fall out with him.

Anyway, the point is, despite this, the buzzards are doing fine.

You should help your "friend" to get over his ignorance of what buzzards prey apon by informing him that they represent no threat to his game birds since the only live prey they pick up is small mammals like rabbits and rodents.
Which makes them very much the farmers friend.:)

Fuzzy Clam

hiwayman wrote: »

but my very good friend who is, believes the buzzard is a treat to their pheasants.

Sorry to butt in here, but a threat to their pheasants??

The only threat to the pheasants I can see here is from those wielding guns.

O/T Thankfully the gun clubs have been run out of here. They had difficulty telling the difference between pets and "fair" game

Birdnuts

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

Sorry to butt in here, but a threat to their pheasants??

The only threat to the pheasants I can see here is from those wielding guns.

O/T Thankfully the gun clubs have been run out of here. They had difficulty telling the difference between pets and "fair" game

I spoke to a professional game keeper who has worked in Britain and Ireland this morning and asked him are Buzzards a threat to game-birds?? - He laughed at me and said they are far too slow to be a threat and in any case prefer to hunt rabbits and the like. He went on to say that they are actually a friend of the game keeper given the number of rats and even mink they take:)

hiwayman

Birdnuts wrote: »

I spoke to a professional game keeper who has worked in Britain and Ireland this morning and asked him are Buzzards a threat to game-birds?? - He laughed at me and said they are far too slow to be a threat and in any case prefer to hunt rabbits and the like. He went on to say that they are actually a friend of the game keeper given the number of rats and even mink they take:)

I understand that, unfortunately one or more gun club member/s claims to have seen a buzzard swoop on a pheasant. I could go down the road of arguing the case for the buzzard and to suggest that the story about the buzzard swooping on the pheasant is nonsense might be calling someone a liar. I'm a blow in from Dublin and some of these people are my friends, but they don't take kindly to being lectured on the ways of the country side from Dubs.
I sure this is not the only gun club where this kind of thinking goes on. I only know this because I'm close to them, normally they,ed never admit this. Perhaps a positive campaign in favor of the buzzard towards the gun clubs from bird watch Ireland might be a good idea?

Birdnuts

hiwayman wrote: »

I understand that, unfortunately one or more gun club member/s claims to have seen a buzzard swoop on a pheasant. I could go down the road of arguing the case for the buzzard and to suggest that the story about the buzzard swooping on the pheasant is nonsense might be calling someone a liar. I'm a blow in from Dublin and some of these people are my friends, but they don't take kindly to being lectured on the ways of the country side from Dubs.
I sure this is not the only gun club where this kind of thinking goes on. I only know this because I'm close to them, normally they,ed never admit this. Perhaps a positive campaign in favor of the buzzard towards the gun clubs from bird watch Ireland might be a good idea?

One of my dogs killed a young pheasent two years after happening apon it during a walk - she had never done it before or since, does that justify shooting all other dogs on sight to protect game birds

No offence but if your friend thinks that Buzzards are more of a threat to young game birds then the buzzards main live prey ie. rats, then he is not competent to be in charge of rearing them:(

PS: I understand your retisense to challenge your friend as a "blow in" but you are entitled to state your opinion too especcially when the facts back you up. Ignorance is what wiped out the likes of the buzzard and eagles from our skies before and we cannot allow that that to happen again for the sake of our Natural heritage and future generations.

boneless

I feel we should get away from the discussion on gun clubs in this thread. If posters want it I can create a seperate thread but I am relucant to do this unless I get a number of PM's calling for such action.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I agree Boneless.

However I would encourage Hiwayman to report (even anonomously) the gun club members who said they would shoot Buzzards. The Gardai will be inmterested as it is illegal and carries a large fien. Their Gun Club president will expel them immediately. The NPWS will also push the matter if he contacts them.

That said, enough on the Gun Club and let's get back to the wonderful Buzzard.

hiwayman

hiwayman wrote:

I understand that, unfortunately one or more gun club member/s claims to have seen a buzzard swoop on a pheasant. I could go down the road of arguing the case for the buzzard and to suggest that the story about the buzzard swooping on the pheasant is nonsense might be calling someone a liar. I'm a blow in from Dublin and some of these people are my friends, but they don't take kindly to being lectured on the ways of the country side from Dubs.
I sure this is not the only gun club where this kind of thinking goes on. I only know this because I'm close to them, normally they,ed never admit this. Perhaps a positive campaign in favor of the buzzard towards the gun clubs from bird watch Ireland might be a good idea?

I shoot Pheasant and I have seen Buzzards swoop on Poults but not fully grown birds. Even saying that I or anyone else that I shoot with) would never shoot a bird of prey. My rule is that if it's not going on the plate it's not dropping from the sky.That and the beauty of the Raptors is another reason why I wouldn't shoot them.
If I was out and someone shot a bird of prey then I wouldn't shoot with them again. It's the narrow minded minority that give shooters a bad name.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Deleted User wrote:

If I was out and someone shot a bird of prey then I wouldn't shoot with them again. It's the narrow minded minority that give shooters a bad name.

I hope you would also report them immediately to the authorities despite who they are!

Birdnuts

Actually this isn't funny - spinning old wives tales/spoofry like this is what led to the extinction of most of our larger raptors including both eagle species from persecution based on ignorance. In light of this I think the mods should remove this post and warn the poster against posting such April fools stuff again - the consequences as we know from recent events are devastating for our endangered birds of prey:(

JajaD

My previous post was deleted... but i know for a FACT that buzzards have killed 3 dogs in the kilbride/ratoath area. My neighbours have pictures of the birds. So if you have small dogs, please beware of any large birds in the area, as there is a possibility that they might be killed. My other neighbours dog was killed and when he brought it down to the vet, the vet confirmed that it was killed by bird claws. This is a fact and not an alligation.

Im just trying to help people because i know that if that was my dog i would be devastated!

Birdnuts

JajaD wrote: »

My previous post was deleted... but i know for a FACT that buzzards have killed 3 dogs in the kilbride/ratoath area. My neighbours have pictures of the birds. So if you have small dogs, please beware of any large birds in the area, as there is a possibility that they might be killed. My other neighbours dog was killed and when he brought it down to the vet, the vet confirmed that it was killed by bird claws. This is a fact and not an alligation.

Im just trying to help people because i know that if that was my dog i would be devastated!

3 dogs now - Do your neighbours have pictures of an actual buzzard killing a dog?? - also the vet you mention would want to explain what he means by "birdclaws" and how that equates to a positive ID of a buzzard among other things killing the dog???:rolleyes:

PS - this BS isn't funny anymore - mods over to you:)

Fuzzy Clam

JajaD wrote: »

This is a fact and not an alligation.

Ah, but was this made by an Alligator?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mods, please! This is complete nonsense.

No offence JajaD but that's bull! :mad:
The Common Buzzard (Buteo Buteo) does not kill dogs. If a Buzzard killed something you can rest assured it would have flown away with it and eaten it immediately. Carrion will be eaten that's too large to take away but a kill will always be taken. Your comments are irresponsible and very damaging to a bird that does no harm. Any wonder we lost so many species in this country with this type of ignorance about!:mad:

Has this Vet reported the killing to the NPWS, as he should if he knows a Buzzard is responsible? I'd guess not!

stevoman

JAYJAD wrote:

My previous post was deleted... but i know for a FACT that buzzards have killed 3 dogs in the kilbride/ratoath area. My neighbours have pictures of the birds. So if you have small dogs, please beware of any large birds in the area, as there is a possibility that they might be killed. My other neighbours dog was killed and when he brought it down to the vet, the vet confirmed that it was killed by bird claws. This is a fact and not an alligation.

Im just trying to help people because i know that if that was my dog i would be devastated!

Methinks your either telling porkies or trying to wind people up. Either way prove your point or at least back it up with some shred of evidence or you may drop it.