Buzzards

[FRISKA]

Please advise. Am I correct in identifying three buzzards which ride the thermals in the Darley Dale area of Derbyshire. Usually seen mid-morning to 1pm. They call to each other with a mewing sound. Do they stay local or are they in transit? They are too high for me to detect colour etc. Tks in anticipation.

[Cetti]

Aren't they fabulous FRISKA?
I've only just come home from watching them this afternoon.

Generally they are local (always exceptions of course) keeping to familiar hunting grounds and nesting sites for many years. More than likely what you will have seen this morning was a family party. Mum, Dad and youngster or parent and two kids. The parents are teaching them about this time of year to ride the thermals , glide and this was what I saw, land in a tree! Not easy for an ungainly juvenile so mum and dad were mewing in encouragement.

[wolf63]

It sounds enchanting. I am not usually a 'bird' person but they are a joy to watch.

My cat used to be a bird watcher too - another story altogether.

[FRISKA]

Cetti - Tks for the info. Which part of the UK do you see your buzzards. Derbyshire ? If so perhaps the same ones we see. Do you think that they breed near here ?

[Cetti]

I'm in Dorset FRISKA, but they would behave in exactly the same wonderful way. My thoughts are that they would be a breeding pair (plus child!) so they would be defending and patrolling 'their'patch - and there certainly would be a nesting site in that area.

In Derbyshire you will see the Common Buzzard only , whereas this end of the country we have the rare treat of seeing Honey and Long-legged Buzzards as well- very rare I hasten to add and their nesting sites are always top secret. The permutations of colour in the plumage of the Common Buzzard are endless which makes it even more interesting to watch ......fabulous birds!

[burnhal]

Amazing how they have spread over the past 20 years. Wasn't so long ago you would be lucky to see buzzards other than in the South West, Wales or Scotland. You can see them most places now -was watching three flying over the Chilterns yesterday. Always nice to see- and always nice of them to announce their presence with the odd mew or two. Watches one a couple of weeks ago on the reserve near Oxford- soaring in company with a short-eared owl. The pair of them being mobbed by black-headed gulls. Nice!!

[wolf63]

it is funny that the Buzzrds mew. My cat used to sound like a Crow.

I live in a City (Perth isn't exactly a major metropolis but it is busy). We are so close to some beautiful wildlife and we are spoiled and probably don't appreciate it.

Having said that we had escaped bulls rampaging through built-up areas last week.

The birds sound mesmerising.