There are numerous Buzzards in the area at the moment, a result of a good breeding season at Blagdon I presume. A few weeks ago there were family parties at Bellasis Bridge and Prestwick Carr but these seem to have split up now and birds can be found all over the place. There's generally at least one over the woods on the Carr and in a break in the rain today at 11.30 there were three. Last week there were five in the air together over the plantation behind Horton Grange.
The pictures were taken last night opposite Horton Grange where the bird was keeping an eye out from atop the bale then jumping down to the gound when it spotted anything. Seemed to be feeding well and quite relaxed with rush hour traffic just fifty meters away. A very white chested individual which I have seen around often as it is visible from about half a mile when perched facing you! It's fun didn't last long though. By the time I returned from Cramlington just half an hour later the bale had been set on fire and the stubble was being ploughed in . There's just no resting time with modern agriculture.
Common Buzzard often seem to be unaware of traffic, travelling along the M6 from Shap north into Scotland they are often on fenceposts adjacent to the motorway.
ReplyDeleteI stood and watched two or three buzzards for some time when I visited the Carr a couple of months ago. They were flying over a nice piece of woodland.
ReplyDeleteI also recorded what looked like a family of 4 Buzzards in the restricted zone woods 10 days ago
ReplyDeleteHistorically it's always been a good place for Buzzards. Blagdon has numerous active nests each season although I don't know if anyone keeps track. Always nice to hear the mewing calls every time you go out though
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