This evening, driving home along our lane, I was surprised to see a buzzard hunched on a birch branch, just a few metres away. I stopped the car and turned off the engine. These three rather fuzzy photos were taken through the closed window, not long before dusk, but I was thrilled to be so close to this beautiful bird of prey as it waited for a chance to hunt on the Forest green.
Buzzards are not elegant movers on the ground, but watching them soar upwards in a clear sky, with wings outspread , is a thrilling sight. As spring comes, pairs of buzzards will circle over field and heath , making their plaintive mewing calls.This photograph was taken yesterday. A pile of old hedge cuttings is waiting to become a bonfire, but has become a temporary shelter for young rabbits venturing out of the nearby hedge and into the grass. The buzzard was watching, still as a post, for a heedless rabbit to hop out into the open.
8 comments:
Buzzards have such an unfair bad reputation (probably from childhood cartoons). Your photos show they really are majestic birds. We are thrilled to see hawks and falcons in our very urban view. Found you via Slow Lane Life (where I find so many wonderful blogs!).
These aren't like what we know here as Turkey Vultures or Buzzards. I will have to do some comparing when my bird books are unpacked at the other end of our move.
I am always fascinated by what I can learn from my blog friends who also appreciate birds and beasts, weather and seasons.
What lovely pictures WD X We see a buzzard nearly every morning as I go up the lane with the smalls to take them to school.He sits on a telephone wire post. Once on the way back from dropping them off I was thrilled to see him at the hedge edge ripping into a rabbit,I slowed the car to a crawl & inched nearer nearer,I ended up right alongside when he stared in disgust at me for bothering his meal & jumped into the air,circling as I left grinning,no doubt to return to finish what I had rudely interupted lol!
GTMx xx
I had one for company on my walk yesterday, soaring in the teeth of a gale above the valley below me, mewing plaintively. These days though, they are almost outnumbered by the Red Kites (which is wonderful in a way, given that Kites were down to single figures back in the 1970s).
We spotted so many when we were on Mull last year; a lovely sight.
Here in the city we have many magpies, blackbirds and bluetits, and are ridiculously thrilled to hear owls at night; I long to be in an environment where I can watch a wider variety of birds.
But there are rabbits on the allotment!
I'm assuming from the pix that the buzzard in England is a type of hawk, is that correct?
Yes I understand rabbits are their favourite food. We have one pair who circle over our land - the local gamekeeper is not keen on them but we all keep a watchful eye out for them.
It is so exciting when something unexpected just pops into view. I wish it happened to me more often. Too often I have to go looking for photos.
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