Sometime last week (I forget exactly which day) I noticed from Golf Course allotments that there were three buzzards in the distance, over or beyond the golf course, fooling about and diving at each other. They arrived from the northwestish and then drifted gradually away agin in that direction. I'd never seen any nearer to London than the country near Hertford and Welwyn, till the next day when I saw another flying quite low over the hill in Alexandra Park. Does anyone know if they are moving in, or just passing through?
Here are two of the three looning about:-
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I have seen buzzards over here a few times in the past couple of years, including one flying low over the terrace at Ally Pally (everyone else oblivious to the sight). They could possibly nest over on the golf course so maybe they are moving in. However, a couple of weeks ago my husband also saw a couple of red kites over the Methodist tennis club!
I've been impressed by the number of kites I've seen in the last three or four years in Hertfordshire and Berkshire (from the train this side of Didcot), so presumably numbers are going up. I don't much expect to see rarities as I'm not a systematic bird watcher - I just spot things now and then - so me seeing something isn't necessarily significant.. I wonder if they're following the foxes' example - finding life easier in the suburbs.
Alex, great pics. I think that they may be more common than we think... I have seen them on bird walks, but I don't normally look up in the sky carefully enough.
FYI our last bird walk included a bird ringing display where 10 birds were ringed including a whitethroat and great spotted woodpecker. Pictures
Thanks Stephen - very interesting. I must join in a bird walk. I have a feeling they may cater especially for early-risers though, unlike the bat walk, which is more my time of day! I will try to reform my ways.