Preds

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Kev Berry

Preds

Post by Kev Berry »

Out for a walk with the dogs and Shirley the other day. Went down one of our favourite ones where we usually see a buzzard or two.
We been noticing the steady disapearance of the local bright eyes population. We had found a few patches of rabbit fur now and then so was obvious what was happening.
Shirley spots a buzzard so we both staring up....and suddenly theres 2 then another 2, and they start going through their courtship flights and grabbing each others claws and tumbling down.
A single male turns up and is soon shown the door and they drift off out of sight.
Then a red kite turns up. He/she has been in the surrounding area since last year but still no mate seen.
Walking back i here a strange gutteral croaking....then i see it, first raven ive seen round here since i was a nipper. Flew out of the tree straight over Shirleys head scared her to death.
No wonder the bunnies are scarce this year :laughs:
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Re: Preds

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Mike F
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Re: Preds

Post by Mike F »

We literally have loads of Buzzards around the west Suffolk area now, more than I've ever known. Its rare not to see them.
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Re: Preds

Post by peteren »

Lots of buzzards in Kent now too - only in west until last 20 years. Occasional kites.
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Re: Preds

Post by JohnCopeman »

Why though has there been a massive increase in buzzard populations in the last 15 to 20 years? What changed.
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Re: Preds

Post by Mako234 »

i read somewhere that the rabbits are being wiped out by some sort of virus (not covid) started up in scotland and made its way south i used to see lots of road kill rabbits on the way to newark from nottm nearly always a buzzard doing the undertaking duties but in the past few years you dont see the dead rabbits anymore
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Re: Preds

Post by Kev Berry »

Mako234 wrote: Sat Mar 20 2021 22:33 -
i read somewhere that the rabbits are being wiped out by some sort of virus (not covid) started up in scotland and made its way south i used to see lots of road kill rabbits on the way to newark from nottm nearly always a buzzard doing the undertaking duties but in the past few years you dont see the dead rabbits anymore
Rabbits dying of a virus ....from China. Unlike myxi this wipes the lot out

Buzzards are multiplying because of various agricultural chemicals no longer being used and less persecution from the shoot anything with a hooked beak or claws brigade.
Lots more field voles around again down to withdrawal of certain agri chems.....buzzards main prey apparently.
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Re: Preds

Post by JohnCopeman »

Raptor persecution stopped largely in the 70s....yes a bit still goes on allegedly but it was in the 90s that buzzards started to be spotted above the midlands then almost everywhere just got a massive influx of them...there must be something else.
Red Kites brought from Spain and released at Harewood in the 80s are " branching iout" but nowhere as widespread or numbers wise as Buzzards.
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Re: Preds

Post by JohnCopeman »

The hemorraging ( spelling?????) diesease sorting rabbits out is terrible...apparently it isn't just transferred to rabbits either. Reportedly cats can pick it up. When you find one- rabbit, they look perfectly healthy but feel just like a bag of water.
They always say buzzards main diet are earthworms and carrion but those big yellow feet aren't for perching on five bar gates are they.
Mainly opportunists but I have seen them take half grown hares and one even had a go at a heron down a dyke bank.
I don't think the decline in grey partridge and the explosion of buzzards is a coincidence.
Buzzards may not be an aggressive predator of ground nesting birds but the constant threat in the sky and harras won't make a covey feel too safe sat out on an open stubble.
The decline of wild Grey's is worrying. More is done now for them, beetle banks, long stubble and stewardship - the habitat is better tha ever....better than the 70s when there were still big wild coveys and that was when " iffy" pesticides were still being used and stubble were ripped up as soon as harvest was over.
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