Birds of Prey in you area

Sheikh

Sheikh

At the Start
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Feb 22, 2008
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I have Buzzards, three of them as far as I can figure. They are fantastic to watch wheeling around in the sky calling (sounds like what you'd hear in a western) They where n't around when I was growing up. Delighted to have them. They have a tremendous presence.
 
We've recently seen Red Kites as well as Buzzards. Kestrels are common Sparrowhawks less so, and we have Hen Harriers out towards Royston.
 
Quite a collection !, there are peregrines also in the immediate area but I haven't seen them. They don't show off like the buzzards.
 
They tell me that peregines have been seen in Hatfield town centre,. but I've not seen one. Have you visited the Derby Cathedral web cam of the nest there?
Another site that I've found quite good is this one: http://www.birdguides.com/home/default.asp
I only subscribe to the free part at the moment but I'm thinking about paying for more info, it's about £40 per year.
 
We have city peregrines which nest every year on Sussex Heights, one of the tallest blocks of flats in town. They dine on the urban pigeons.

There are always some kites to be seen hovering over the Downs, which I usually spy on the trips to Plumpton.
 
Loads of red kites, loads of buzzards, quite a few kestrels and sparrowhawks as well. We've a resident buzzard in the trees by the yard who is often keeping a beady eye on us as we ride out. There are more red kites about than you can shake a stick at and most days you'll see at least two hunting by the side of the gallops.
 
I think Ireland is pretty poor when it comes to having these fantastic birds around. They're trying to re-establish the Golden Eagle population but it's not going well. They reckon they have 25 left from 50 introduced from Scotland. Some relic farmers are poisoning them, most farmers have been very supportive.
 
They had a programme of re-introduction of red kites in the area probably 5-7 years ago now and the population has taken off. We are also very rural and being virtually on the Ridgeway there is a massive wildlife population around here, including birds of prey which are positively thriving at the moment. They're very bold as well and don't mind getting near to people at all.
 
Sheikh said:
I think Ireland is pretty poor when it comes to having these fantastic birds around. They're trying to re-establish the Golden Eagle population but it's not going well. They reckon they have 25 left from 50 introduced from Scotland. Some relic farmers are poisoning them, most farmers have been very supportive.
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It is a pity about the setbacks this project has had recently. Last year I visited the project's base, Glenveigh National Park in Donegal and the exhibition and details of the project was fascinating.
 
Shadz: "They had a re-introduction of red kites... and the population has taken off." :lol: Phew, that's a relief!
 
Plenty of Buzzards here - positively commonplace! Also, we have peregrines according to Diminuendo, who is a great bird watcher and comes back and tells me what's about! Plus sparrow hawks.

We're alos very fortunate on the farm to have a really good owl population around both the farm and in the woods. There was just one Little Owl when we first came here but I've not seen any since, sadly.

I'd like to put up some Owl nesting boxes in the new barns but need to get them made and fixed up and there's always so much to do round here!!
 
Lots of buzzards round here, kestrels too. Gloucester Royal Hospital has a pair of breeding peregrines and the Estates manager has set up a camera so that staff can watch the chicks being brought up. It also serves as security to prevent thieves.

I had a wonderful experience a few months back when on the shuttle bus between hospitals. We had to stop for roadworks and right next to me, about 4/5 feet off the ground was a kestrel hovering over some unfortunate wee beastie. It was only about 5 feet away from me and level with my shoulder. I could see every marking on it. It hovered for about a minute before swooping on said critter. Terrific experience and, even more remarkable was that, in a bus full of people, I was the only one who saw it!

We used to have a lot of buzzards around when I was a kid, but they had died out by the time I was in my teens. It is good to see them back. Those of you who are around the railway station at Cheltenham may be lucky enough to see the pair that are nesting near there.

There was a pair of tawny owls but something has happened to the female as I only hear the male now. Plenty of barn owls - I was woken at 2.00am last year by a pair having a row over the house. Quite a scary thing to waken one from a deep sleep. It took minutes for my heart rate to steady up. One swooped past me a few months ago while I was taking my little stray out in the snow (he's terrified of it). It was totally silent and all I felt was a slight stir in my hair as it went by, a white shadow against the black of the hedge.

The problem is now that there are so many buzzard in our area, they are becoming a bit of a nuisance and have been known to attack cyclists and pedestrians who are passing their nesting sites.
 
I took this on my phone last year on the window sill of the old Telephone Exchange in the centre of town. He was worn out I think not injured

kestrel001.jpg
 
Beautiful, is that a kestrel, I'll try get some pics of my buzzards. You guys seems to be spoilt over there with the abundance of these birds.
 
We had one of these in the backyard last year, Tawny Frogmouth:

tawnyfrogmouths_468x326.jpg

Courtesy of Daily Mail

They are apart of the owl family here in Australia, and do have deadly talons, but not as vicious as the barking owl which are common in Australia. I went out, and it was clucking its beak together. So I knew it meant "business." So stood my ground.

Everyone also knows about my kookaburras, not birds of prey, but they do eat snakes, rabbits, lizards, mice. They are highly intelligent, and we have a flock of about 6 of them. All are named, and one has become quite tame to sit on my arm, though his little talons are sharp.
 
We nearly lost them all, though Sheikh. It was only the conservation and reintroduction programmes that brought them back from the brink. Does Ireland have a similar programme? It has only taken about 10/15 years for the birds to have come back in such abundance. Even the humble magpie (a beautiful bird) was declining in numbers until a protection order was put on them.

If you are over for Cheltenham you might see a couple of kestrels around the course, and there are a pair of buzzards nesting near the railway station too. Further up the hill, around the woodland, there are a couple of sparrowhawks also - but they are a rare sighting unless you live quite close by.

We haven't any red kites round here though, I would dearly love to see one of those in the flesh.
 
I believe the efforts to increase the Peregrine and Red Kite population have been successful but to my mind kestrel no.s have dropped.We could swap you magpies for some. We'll give you 2 for 1 :) We are fairly limited with our bird of Prey population.
 
We have also seen the successful reintroduction of Red Kites up here in Yorkshire. Several pairs were released on the Harewood estate in 1999 as part of a UK conservation initiative, and they have certainly established themselves in the surrounding areas.
Recently I have been riding out through a location near Wetherby, where we counted 16 of these MAGNIFICENT BIRDS, gracefully shooting the breeze overhead. I later returned with my camera, and found out that some of the inhabitants feed them, and they were anxious that their location was not disclosed. I managed to take loads of lovely pics.
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We live in an urban setting, and have loads of collared doves round here. We have also had a Sparrowhawk in the area for some years, and she occasionally picks off one of these poor unsuspecting birds. Last August we returned home to find she's paid a visit, but we distubed her and she flew off. The dove was dead and we left it to see if the Sparrowhawk would come back. After about an hour she returned to finish off her meal. She spent the best part of an hour picking it to pieces, but wasted nothing. However it's quite another job clearing up the unwanted feathers and debris ! Not very good pics as they were taken from my daughter's bedroom window behind a net as we didn't want to disturb her again.
Sparrowhawk 4 Aug 09 (16).jpg
 
Great stuff, Bear. I checked out Derby Cathedral's webcam last night to see what its resident perries were up to, and one of them was standing over a recent kill. As it was after dusk, it was hard to see exactly what, but I suspect another woodcock. They often travel at night and now, thanks to urban lighting, the peregrines are able to see their once secretive flight, and take them. They've also been dining on snipe, partridge, quail, as well as any amount of pigeon. Yummy!
 
We have Sparrow Hawks and Buzzards here - not surprising seeing as we're close to Leighton Buzzard..... A Sparrow Hawk will often sit on our workshop roof waiting. I found a pigeon carcase in the garden some years ago, all breast meat very neatly removed - I threw it away it to prevent my dogs finding it, it's previous 'owner' returned some hours later and stood in my garden for several minutes where the carcase had lain looking all around as if to say 'I know I left it here!'

Another time I saw it bring down a pigeon in the garden opposite, and have to fight off two Magpies who were intent on sharing - SH had other ideas!
 
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