Heywood M62 Jct 19 Sun 4/4 15:30

Buzzard seen twice over the M-way and then circling fields by the Jct

I think the main reason is the lack of persecution these days,Buzzards are getting back to where they should be now that they are not shot/poisoned (as often)by gamekeepers.There's still plenty of mixy around,apparently the railways keep re-introducing it on the mosslands to prevent rabbits damaging the banking to the main M/c/L'pool line.I rarely see any rabbits around here because of mixy.It just shows how succesful as predators Buzzards are when they can recover their numbers so quickly,if only gamekeepers would leave Goshawks alone then maybe we might see a few more of them about as well.

Pete Astles wrote:

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I wonder why Buzzards have suddenly expanded their range?

We have always had motorways well for last 50 years or so.

Any theories anyone ?

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No more Myxomatosis in Rabbits, toxic chemicals nor illegal persecution to thwart the population growth, all of which were (at different times) major dissadvantages to their numbers increasing for most of the 20th century....... I don`t think motorways have anything to do with it

in theory there must be more food available which would explain the growth in numbers eg rabbits,carrion,roadkill also suitable habitat must also be available in order for the birds to nest

I wonder why Buzzards have suddenly expanded their range?

We have always had motorways well for last 50 years or so.

Any theories anyone ?

Pete Astles wrote:

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stuartherring wrote:

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i see more buzzards than kestrels lately ??

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I understand they are britains most common bird or prey.

20 years ago you rarely saw them round here now they are commonplace.

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Buzzards are numbered at around 44000 pairs according to the RSPB handbook whilst according to "On a wing and a prayer" report kestrels have declined by roughly 18% .... if I remember correctly.

stuartherring wrote:

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i see more buzzards than kestrels lately ??

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I understand they are britains most common bird or prey.

20 years ago you rarely saw them round here now they are commonplace.

Probable Common Buzzard high over Werneth heading towards Bank Top area yesterday 5.35 p.m., then today low eastward over Westwood Industrial Estate at approx 4.45pm

buzzard flying from civic centre area towards oldham hospital 5.00pm today

2 buzzards hunting over styal prison today, came in real low about 20 feet poor wood pidgeons didn't know where to hide , would have had some great views of the kill except prison officer threatened me not to use binoculars around the prison !!! Obviously not a birder.

must admit so do we. They are still good to see though

i see more buzzards than kestrels lately ??

I got some good shots of a buzzard hunting over the power station near chorlton water park today, he was hovering in the breeze until 2 ravens i had also been shooting decided they felt threatened and forced him off. I was on the univercity fields so the sun was just right.

there are definatley buzzards around the elk mill roundabout area i see them very often and near the hospital as well

Buzzards are around the A627M and the first breeding attempts for that area seemed to be missed and overlooked as people dismissed sightings around that area as the Red-tailed hawk - though hard to claim RT hawk when there are more than one in the air at the same

I think around the A627m now most sightings are buzzards. Ive seen multiples on many occasions driving past.

Dave

hi bill

i put a lighthearted mystery bird thread in the general birding section a while back - rt-hawk was one of the suggestions at the time.

it was on a picture i took on the 2nd june 2008 - i didn't notice the soaring bird until i post-produced the image for a presentation.

interestingly manor mill is in the picture...

http://homepage.mac.com/skiddo/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/manor.jpg

full blow up

http://homepage.mac.com/skiddo/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/MILLFC.jpg

just added this to spice up the intrigue!

paul

I saw the Red Tailed Hawk the last time about 3 or 4 years ago. I first saw it flying over the dual carriageway near the hospital I nearly ended up in casualty. I assumed it was a buzzard but in the bins a couple of days later I had good views of the tail etc. I havent seen it since. The present sightings may well be buzzard I had one last year between Ashton and Oldham. I hope it is.

Hi Judith,

There are some older photos on the web of this chimney without the "basket" (see - http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/216542 ) - so I would guess and indeed it did look like some structure that is possibly used to repair/renovate the brickwork? Just guessing really.

Apologies - I should really have done a bit more "homework" before my last posting! - have just been looking through the GM County Bird Report for 2004 and this states in the escapes section for Red Tailed Hawk "The bird resident in the Chadderton/Royton area, at the end of the A627(M), since 2001, was certainly present until Jun 11th, when it was seen on Manor Mill, Victoria St, Chadderton"

I'm astonished if this is the same bird from 2001! and on the same structure it was seen on in 2004! Yet there are no sightings for 2007 and no direct ones for this exact area in 2006 either.

Maybe it is being overlooked or mis-identified and/or it is fairly mobile. Either way it would seem that I have landed with a bit of egg on my face!! Apologies if I have questioned other birders sightings!

Cheers,

Bill.

What is this basket-like structure on the chimney, Bill? Is it some telecoms aerial? Kath Butterworth probably knows more about the history of the Red-tailed hawk than anyone else - at one time it could be viewed from a pub with a military name - maybe The Volunteer or The Rifleman? - roosting on the mill.

31st March.

Was walking around the back of Chadderton Town Hall this am when I saw a large bird of prey on the chimney of Manor Mill in Chadderton. Approx. grid ref. SD910057. the bird was perched on a "nest like" man-made structure near the top of the chimney (see photo at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manor_Mill,_Chadderton.jpg ) at 10.00 am and was watched with the naked eye and was still there at 10.40 when I had recovered my binoculars from the car. Through the binoculars I only saw the bird perched and at a distance and it certainly looked Buzzard like but I thought isn't this a rather odd location for a Buzzard? Any Buzzard experts out there? Went back home for my scope but it was gone from its spot by 11.00 am.

I have often wondered if this Chadderton Red-tailed Hawk thing is one of those birding "urban myths"! Has one ever been positively identified? It seems a bit of a shame that every time someone says they have seen a Buzzard locally then this Red-tailed Hawk thing is brought up. Maybe we should be saying to anyone who claims a Red-tailed Hawk - are you absolutely sure it wasn't a Common Buzzard? I know that a Red-tailed Hawk was first reported in the Chadderton area many years ago - did it ever exist and would and could it still be alive?

Any the wiser? - no neither am I!

Will try and revisit to see if this might be a regular haunt for this mystery bird.

Cheers,

Bill.

-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Tuesday 31st of March 2009 06:11:47 PM

?????buzzards of course

Hi Stuart

a pair and juveniles? Buzzards or Red-tailed Hawks?

well there was a pair and juveniles around there last year

A few years ago it was a Red-tailed Hawk that was regularly seen in the area.

take care sombody keeps birds of prey near ASDA and the large one is allowed to fly around ?
I know some years ago I spent some time getting very excited

BUZZARD SEEN OVER WERNETH MILL AGAIN ON MON 17 MARCH

buzzard sat on top of flagpole on the werneth mill near oldham hospital being mobbed by magpies