Buzzard Observations

sables2

V Bull wrote: »

Today... a pair of Buzzards & a little friend keeping a watchfull eye on them.......:cool:

Hi V Bull,
GREAT images ;). The 'friend' is getting close.

trebor28

saw my loacal one again today.

got quite close to him too, within 100 yards. got a good clear view of him through my bins.

snowstreams

sables2 wrote: »

Thanks for that Ender. I only want something reasonable...will look into it. Some others here might have some sufficient camera lens knowledge.

I have a 300mm lense too. Its the best value for a decent picture. Anything more than 300mm costs 500euro plus.

i took this buzzard pic with my Tamron 300m lense to give you an idea of what i can do. Cost 160euro for it.

Mothman

I've moved discussion on Cameras, lens etc to new thread
It'll bring this thread back to Buzzard observations

ender ender

Saw another today I think, between Lusk and Skerries along the train line. It was a very large raptor at least -would buzzards be the largest birds of prey on the east coast?

snowstreams

Yeah they would. Apart from the occasional hen harrier which is similar in size.

sables2

Mothman wrote: »

I've moved discussion on Cameras, lens etc to new thread
It'll bring this thread back to Buzzard observations

Hi Mothman,
Thanks for that info on the cameras and the relevant thread

Mothman

ender ender wrote: »

-would buzzards be the largest birds of prey on the east coast?

snowstreams wrote: »

Yeah they would. Apart from the occasional hen harrier which is similar in size.

Don't forget Red Kite

Fuzzy Clam

snowstreams wrote: »

I have a 300mm lense too. Its the best value for a decent picture. Anything more than 300mm costs 500euro plus.

i took this buzzard pic with my Tamron 300m lense to give you an idea of what i can do. Cost 160euro for it.

Nice glass insulators!

ender ender

Thanks Snowstreams and Mothman. Would red kite venture as far as north county Dublin? They were reintroduced this summer, yeah?

Birdnuts

ender ender wrote: »

Thanks Snowstreams and Mothman. Would red kite venture as far as north county Dublin? They were reintroduced this summer, yeah?

Nearest sightings to you in the last year have been Blackrock Co. Louth and Ringsend Dublin:)

ender ender

Thanks Birdnuts. Probably a buzzard but I'll keep my eyes peeled. If they venture as far as Louth I might get lucky and spot one some day near here...

trebor28

i have seen our local one in exactly the same location for the last 3 days.

i think he is getting used to me too, i am able to get very close to him.

wurz

I live in Derry city, outskirts, and regularly see buzzards. they are quite common actually. About three summers ago on a hot clear day I and a friend counted 8 birds riding the thermals above Ballyarnett country park. I usually see them in ones, twos or threes but that time was amazing. They are a beautiful bird and I always keep a look out for them. They do seem to appear and disappear from localities though. Migration would probably explain that.

sables2

Birdnuts wrote: »

Nearest sightings to you in the last year have been Blackrock Co. Louth and Ringsend Dublin:)

Birdnuts,
Would i see them...(Buzzards) if i was on Sandymount strand when tide out near the 'pigeon house'?? Do you think that was a one off sighting...I seen a few soaring above that was near/at Kilruddery House Bray. Co. Wicklow. They we're flying in pairs. Stunning raptors. Do we/Birdwatch Ireland know how many approx pairs are in the Republic - interesting though.:rolleyes:

Birdnuts

sables2 wrote: »

Birdnuts,
Would i see them...(Buzzards) if i was on Sandymount strand when tide out near the 'pigeon house'?? Do you think that was a one off sighting...I seen a few soaring above that was near/at Kilruddery House Bray. Co. Wicklow. They we're flying in pairs. Stunning raptors. Do we/Birdwatch Ireland know how many approx pairs are in the Republic - interesting though.:rolleyes:

Anywhere in Dublin is now buzzard territory - they've even been sighted over the city centre(Kildare street) in recent years. The most recent populations estimate for the ROI is 350 pairs. Still growing but buzzard densities in this country are still very low compared to mainland Europe and most of the UK.

sables2

Birdnuts wrote: »

Anywhere in Dublin is now buzzard territory - they've even been sighted over the city centre(Kildare street) in recent years. The most recent populations estimate for the ROI is 350 pairs. Still growing but buzzard densities in this country are still very low compared to mainland Europe and most of the UK.

Thanks Birdnuts,
Thats amazing: a buzzard spotted on Kildare Street in the city!!! LOL. Your correct about other countries having much more populations - take England. We we're driving through Oxfordshire last January and must have spotted no less than three buzzards & two kites in four hours! 350 pairs is SUPER. I hope they thrive, just like the red kites...my absolute favourites . To this day i'v never seen one - only images :(

heavyballs

sables2 wrote: »

Thanks Birdnuts,
Thats amazing: a buzzard spotted on Kildare Street in the city!!! LOL. Your correct about other countries having much more populations - take England. We we're driving through Oxfordshire last January and must have spotted no less than three buzzards & two kites in four hours! 350 pairs is SUPER. I hope they thrive, just like the red kites...my absolute favourites . To this day i'v never seen one - only images :(

pm me if you want,i can tell you where to go in Wicklow,you will need patience though,don't advise posting locations up here just in case,

Scotty #

I daily see several around Drogheda, The Naul, Swords, St. Margarets.

Saw a big one eating some road kill yesterday with it's mate perched in a tree nearby. As my car approached it picked the carcass up and flew over the hedge. I know it was road kill as it's been there a few days. Hare I think.

sables2

Scotty # wrote: »

I daily see several around Drogheda, The Naul, Swords, St. Margarets.

Saw a big one eating some road kill yesterday with it's mate perched in a tree nearby. As my car approached it picked the carcass up and flew over the hedge. I know it was road kill as it's been there a few days. Hare I think.

One word: SUPERB!! ...i envy you.

googsy

Saw one sitting on a tree out the back garden today. There have been a few around Cloghran / Airport for a few years now. I know where one of their "roosts" are not too far from the Airport but don't know if they are breeding or not. There are 2 resident ( There was 3 ) sometimes during the summer you could see 5 to 7 of them soaring in the air. Anyone got any idea's on this type of behavior ? or are they just a larger grouping of birds from a different territories passing through ? It's an amazing sight to see so many so high up.

Scotty #

googsy wrote: »

Saw one sitting on a tree out the back garden today. There have been a few around Cloghran / Airport for a few years now.

The two I mentioned the other day were at the back of Keelings on Killeek Lane at the back of the airport and are seen there most days. I have also seen up to 6 at a time there. Which I presume is 2 adults and 4 juv's OR two 'families' in same area.

I have seen up to 10 in the air in the Naul but they could be miles apart. Where my folks live up in the Naul there is quiet a view over north county Dublin so on a nice summers day it's not uncommon to see 6-8 at a time.

I wonder how the Airport feel about them..?? Are they a 'bird strike' risk or are they a 'bird strike' preventative?

googsy

Scotty # wrote: »

The two I mentioned the other day were at the back of Keelings on Killeek Lane at the back of the airport and are seen there most days. I have also seen up to 6 at a time there. Which I presume is 2 adults and 4 juv's OR two 'families' in same area.

I have seen up to 10 in the air in the Naul but they could be miles apart. Where my folks live up in the Naul there is quiet a view over north county Dublin so on a nice summers day it's not uncommon to see 6-8 at a time.

I wonder how the Airport feel about them..?? Are they a 'bird strike' risk or are they a 'bird strike' preventative?

The one's I'm talking about are up at the other side of the airport ( Coachan's Inn direction). I guess the people at the airport that shoot the exploding flares do a good job in keeping them away I'm not sure if they would do damage to an aircraft engine or not......

Birdnuts

Scotty # wrote: »

.

I wonder how the Airport feel about them..?? Are they a 'bird strike' risk or are they a 'bird strike' preventative?

No more then any other bird over the size of a large thrush - in any case the main risk from bird strikes is from large flocks which means the likes of buzzards are far less of a risk then gulls/crows etc. As a previous poster mentions Dublin AP BCU employs a variety of effective bird scaring devices that appear to work well given the lack of any serious incidents over the years:)

bogtreader

Seen a buzzard yesterday sitting on ESB pole close to silver strand in
co wicklow and a local one close to where i work

ender ender

Scotty # wrote: »

I daily see several around Drogheda, The Naul, Swords, St. Margarets.

Saw a big one eating some road kill yesterday with it's mate perched in a tree nearby. As my car approached it picked the carcass up and flew over the hedge. I know it was road kill as it's been there a few days. Hare I think.

That's cool, man. The GF and myself were in New Zealand about 7 years ago and rounded a bend on a mountain road one day to see a really big raptor eating roadkill. Usually they'd fly off on seeing a car but this one just sat there, we had to drive around it. Pity I couldn't id it, it was only about 4 feet away from me. Could've been a harrier though, I think they're the most common over there.

I go up to the Naul and Four Knocks a good bit, must pay more attention for buzzards when I'm there...

Bsal

I was out at Weston airport today and seen 1 Buzzard and 1 Sparrowhawk near the NFC hangers, totally unexpected.

bogtreader

Seen two buzzards today in a field feeding together
Tried to sneak over to get closer look behind a hedge
close to the road had me sussed in an instant

homerhop

Hadn't seen the ones that were around the house since before the snow. Glad to see one of them gliding over the trees on friday evening.

Ditch

Thought I'd better report, here, that I saw a Buzzard passing over Mohill, last summer. Going from west to east.