I always like to look out for Buzzards on the way down to Peterborough as there are plenty of places to see them.
When I was a youthful birdwatcher, around 10 or 11 years old, I was fascinated by Buzzards, which were not as easy to see in those days. From Peterborough we had to go to Scotland, The Lakes, Devon or Wales before finding any. Even then they weren’t common.
Gamekeepers killed so many that they were confined to the north and west of the UK by the end of the 19th century. Things eased up a bit after the Second World War – said on the RSPB website to be due to a new enlightened attitude to birds of prey, though it might have been more to do with the decline in country estates and a lack of keepers. At that point other factors came into play, such as lack of rabbits (due to myxomatosis) and problems with pesticides (which caused thin egg shells and reduced hatchability).
From the 1960s, with the withdrawal of the pesticides and the increase of rabbit populations, Buzzards started to recover. From the 1990s they started to expand. First I saw them in Derbyshire, then Sherwood Forest, then over Bulwell Golf Course…
Now I can see them all the way down to Peterborough.
Of course, they weren’t the only bird to suffer – Peregrines, Red Kites, Sparrowhawks, Kestrels, Marsh Harriers and other birds of prey all suffered. Red Kites were down to 10 pairs in the 1930s (up to 500 pairs by 2006 due to the reintroduction programme started in 1989). Marsh Harriers were down to 1 pair in 1971 (now up to 360 breeding pairs due to habitat restration). Peregrines slumped to 360 pairs in 1963 (now up to 1,400 pairs, often nesting on tall buildings instead of cliffs. You can watch them on a number of video links from Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and Norwich if you don’t mind the detritus of dismantled pigeons around the nestlings.) Even Sparrowhawks and Kestrels declined significantly.
Things aren’t all good, though. Sparrowhawks declined again in the 1990s, though they are now stable. Kestrels are currently in decline. In both cases this is thought to be due to a decline in prey species. That’s the trouble with being a bird of prey, you can only expand to the limit of your food supply.
My count was three Kestrels, two hovering and one flying by the roadside.
I also saw eleven Buzzards. Yes, eleven. One in a tree followed by four perching on the lamp posts as the A52 comes up to the A1. There was another in a tree, two more on a field looking for worms (they have no pride) and an ninth as I neared Stamford. That one was flying, and I initially hoped it would be a Red Kite. If anyone had told the young me that I’d be disappointed to see nine Buzzards on a trip to Peterborough I’d have laughed. There were two more to come, one on a road sign (I’ve never seen them do that before) and one in a tree.
Finally, soaring over the site of an old Roman town, I spotted a Red Kite. Just the one, but it was nice to see.
Red Kite over Northamptonshire
The Buzzard photo is from the lawn at Rufford earlier this week, and the Kite from Northamptonshire last summer.
No photos from today, as you can’t do much photography at 70 mph.
Nice photos of the buzzard and kite. We have a lot of turkey vultures in my area.
Just checked it up – impressive looking bird.
We have a mass of buzzards round here (hard to photograph) but kestrels, which used to be plentiful, are a very rare sight these days.
Yes, I tried to creep up on a Buzzard last week. It turned round, lifted its tail and made its contempt plain. 😉
They always sit quite still on a fence post until the actual moment that I draw a camera out of my pocket when I am cycling.
I have several theories about birds, butterflies and cameras. One is that after generations of men pointing things at them some birds are sensitive to that sort of thing. The other is that they can sense the autofocus. 🙂
My first buzzard sighting here was in 2006 and that was shortly after we moved back here from an eighteen month sojourn in Somerset where they were easy to see. I see buzzards fairly regularly now and there is a pair that nest locally. Still not a common bird yet but things are improving.
Nice to know they are spreading.
Fascinating information here, Quercus. Great kite pic.
Thanks. Another target for this year is to take better pictures – aspiring to be as good as you and tootlepedal!
I’m sure you will.
🙂
I was amazed to read recently that by the time of WW1 gamekeepers in Norfolk had made the fox extinct in the county. That takes some doing!
It does, though when you think of the number of keepers plus guns, poisons and traps I suppose it could be done. Difficult to see how though, considering I’ve seen as many as three on our street at night.
There’s something particularly thrilling about raptors isn’t there? I grew up in Leicestershire, not so far from Peterborough, and I don’t recall ever seeing a Buzzard until I started to go walking in Scotland in my late teens. I saw several yesterday, including one that flew over our garden, they’re really quite common here. But their ubiquity doesn’t seem to matter – I always get very excited when I see them. We’re also fortunate to have Marsh Harriers, Ospreys and Peregrines on our doorstep. (Although I’ve rarely seen the Ospreys and never seen any Peregrines close to home – I know where they nest, but they never seem to be at home when I visit – I probably need to be more patient). As a lad in Kibworth the only bird of prey I remember watching is Kestrels, and I think they may still be my favourites. I haven’t seen any for a while – their decline is a great sadness.
Yes, there’s always something special about a raptor – even more when you contrast today’s numbers with what we used to see.
As you say, it was Kestrels only but we now have Buzzards, reintroduced Kites and Ospreys (at Rutland Water).
I actually saw a Little Egret in a roadside pond yesterday but I’ve seen three this year and they just aren’t as exciting as Buzzards!
I saw a Little Egret years ago on the estuary near Arnside. I was running (which dates it) and didn’t have my glasses on and doubted my own eyes. Now they are very common here, with one particular tree at Leighton Moss which holds a substantial roost every night.
Quite endearing birds, but as you say, not quite the same as a raptor. (We also get Great Egrets at Leighton Moss – I’ve seen one a couple of times, but always from a considerable distance.)
I was driving down the A52 some years ago, glanced over at some gravel pits and saw a dozen white birds – couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like being in a travel programme…