Saturday 31 March 2012

Raptors Abound

After a few highly pleasant days sitting, running, writing and drinking tea in sunny climes, it has been very noticeable that the ever increasing local Buzzard population has taken to the skies, their tiny black broad y shaped bodies silhouetted against crystal blue skies.

And I'm not just seeing them out of town, I have been seeing them smack over my garden as I read a book and try not to get too red in the face after a long run. Two days ago, two largish raptors took off out of a nearby tree, seemed to squabble a little, before heading their separate ways. Now these birds puzzled me, they didn't fly with wings slung slightly forward, wingtips spread.

Instead their wings seemed rather "pointier", and held out at the perpendicular to the pody, which was pale underneath and had a black wedge shaped tail. Two days ago while I out running, I saw a similar bird on Millgate keening as a Buzzard does, as it was mobbed by a couple of smaller birds of prey, kestrels by the look of the build. I had already had a good look at a kestrel out of town at Cotham, sat spying on me from a telegraph pole.

So I'm probably seeing Buzzards, but the wings don't quite sit right with me.

I wonder if the Hobby and Harrier have reappeared at RSPB Langford Lowfields yet? That would make it a bumper time for raptors I could get to see, at a time when as ever they are undergoing illegal persecution.

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