Discussion
I'd seen them in Wales and near Wallingford but never here, on the Hants/Berks border, until Wednesday.
I called out in surprise when I saw one circling the trees nearby, then 3, then 4 appeared so I grabbed the camera and opened the window. They weren't very low or as slow as they seemed at a distance and I know my lens gives fringing at long focus but these are the best I managed, just cropped:
I called out in surprise when I saw one circling the trees nearby, then 3, then 4 appeared so I grabbed the camera and opened the window. They weren't very low or as slow as they seemed at a distance and I know my lens gives fringing at long focus but these are the best I managed, just cropped:
driverrob said:
I'd seen them in Wales and near Wallingford but never here, on the Hants/Berks border, until Wednesday.
I called out in surprise when I saw one circling the trees nearby, then 3, then 4 appeared so I grabbed the camera and opened the window. They weren't very low or as slow as they seemed at a distance and I know my lens gives fringing at long focus but these are the best I managed, just cropped:
I have seen them in that area in recent years and many times down the M40/M3 'corridor'(?) and in Oxfordshire.I called out in surprise when I saw one circling the trees nearby, then 3, then 4 appeared so I grabbed the camera and opened the window. They weren't very low or as slow as they seemed at a distance and I know my lens gives fringing at long focus but these are the best I managed, just cropped:
They now regularly appear (usually as singletons) in Derbyshire too, often alongside the M1 and once even over that legendary green oasis Clay Cross! Last week I watched one near Alport Heights sail above and then below my eye line for a good few minutes as it moved over the hillside towards Wirskworth.
It's absolutely fascinating to me as 30 years ago I lived in mid Wales right amongst the breeding site of the c.20 pairs left in the whole of the UK so saw them regularly but never imagined I'd see them here.
Likewise with Buzzards. I was amazed the first time I heard one in Derbyshire, looked up and sure enough there it was (over Bamford Moor about 10 years ago and then started to see them more often in mid South Derbyshire. Now they are everywhere. I've even seen them as far east as Lincolnshire and near Potters Bar!
yeah they do frequent the same sort of habitat-and eat a similar diet as they are both really scavengers.
someone mentioned about seeing them alot after a farmer has ploughed a field this is because their main staple is earthworms!!!!
no real way of telling a male and female from the tails im afraid.
the difference between a kite and buzzard is more simple.
Kite always has a forked tail and flies with quite pointed "sharp" wings
Buzzard have a very round tail and square wings with fingers on the end, also hardly flap just seems to soar or glide.
now onto the different sorts of buzzard! only joking thats a whole new thread!!
someone mentioned about seeing them alot after a farmer has ploughed a field this is because their main staple is earthworms!!!!
no real way of telling a male and female from the tails im afraid.
the difference between a kite and buzzard is more simple.
Kite always has a forked tail and flies with quite pointed "sharp" wings
Buzzard have a very round tail and square wings with fingers on the end, also hardly flap just seems to soar or glide.
now onto the different sorts of buzzard! only joking thats a whole new thread!!
ParanoidAndroid said:
I live on the Berks/Hants border and yes, there are loads around here. Amazing to watch especially when they are soaring so high with barely a flap of the wings.
Saw one last week loitering above the A303 near Sparkford. Didn't think they had made it this far down yet.LotusMartin said:
Saw one yesterday over Cobham/Knaphill - that's by far the furthest south I've ever seen one. Definitely a RK - it was high, but could definitely make out the forked tail.
The Hawk Conservancy near Andover were releasing them up to 2005, so they've obviously followed the A303 both ways then the M3. As mentioned earlier, several here near Basingstoke.Yep, ive seen them as far east as March and Thetford so their journey up the M4 corridor isnt far off the east coast now in a relatively short time. If they can win against the gulls which they fight with. I live in north east herts and love seeing them which is now a daily occurance. Although my neighbour is less convinced and is sure before long we will be killimg them off again as he thinks they will be causing planes to crash and be worse of a pest than common pigeons.
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