If the woodland is becoming flooded there's a chance Wood Mice and Bank Voles might be flooded out of their homes. Buzzards eat a lot of earthworms in wet weather too, so that might be another option. I'm not sure how many healthy adult rabbits Buzzards actually take (although undoubtably some), I've seen a blind myxy rabbit almost stumble into a worming Buzzard. The poor Buzzard was most perturbed and eventually flew off!
Pete Welch said
Fri Dec 21 4:53 AM, 2012
Maybe they're after squirrels?
John Williams said
Fri Dec 21 1:49 AM, 2012
With regard to my recent post on Buzzard behaviour at Moore, I'd love to know what prey item these birds seem so keen to exploit in areas of carr.
There were lots of Blackbirds rooting through the leaf litter, as they always do, with Redwings alongside them in Birchwood.
Birchwood is a lot drier though than Moss Wood and the areas of carr around Lapwing Lane, with the present deluge of rain these alder woods were mostly flooded.
There were still some drier areas where Blackbirds could still root out worms though, but perhaps there is another reason for the Buzzards attraction to these woods.
Could it be that as with the high spring tides at Parkgate, small rodents are forced out of their usual hiding places by the floods, providing easy pickings for raptors.
If this is the case surely Kestrels should be attending the feast too, and Tawny Owls would have a field day.
Whatever it is thats attracting these Buzzards they are certainly keen to exploit it, if they are disturbed they simply fly around for a while then resume their vigil in the centre of the woods.
There are plenty areas of carr in GM, are Buzzards behaving the same there?. I'd be fascinated to know.
John Williams said
Thu Dec 20 10:05 PM, 2012
Perhaps, or maybe there are plenty of rabbits in the woods, there are certainly lots in the open areas at Moore.
The Buzzards were certainly attracted to something, especially in the part flooded alder woods. They'd sit on a branch and seemed focused on the ground,
just as they are when they sit for hours on fence posts waiting for a vole or worm to pop up.
-- Edited by John Williams on Thursday 20th of December 2012 10:06:21 PM
With regard to my recent post on Buzzard behaviour at Moore, I'd love to know what prey item these birds seem so keen to exploit in areas of carr.
There were lots of Blackbirds rooting through the leaf litter, as they always do, with Redwings alongside them in Birchwood.
Birchwood is a lot drier though than Moss Wood and the areas of carr around Lapwing Lane, with the present deluge of rain these alder woods were mostly flooded.
There were still some drier areas where Blackbirds could still root out worms though, but perhaps there is another reason for the Buzzards attraction to these woods.
Could it be that as with the high spring tides at Parkgate, small rodents are forced out of their usual hiding places by the floods, providing easy pickings for raptors.
If this is the case surely Kestrels should be attending the feast too, and Tawny Owls would have a field day.
Whatever it is thats attracting these Buzzards they are certainly keen to exploit it, if they are disturbed they simply fly around for a while then resume their vigil in the centre of the woods.
There are plenty areas of carr in GM, are Buzzards behaving the same there?. I'd be fascinated to know.
The Buzzards were certainly attracted to something, especially in the part flooded alder woods. They'd sit on a branch and seemed focused on the ground,
just as they are when they sit for hours on fence posts waiting for a vole or worm to pop up.
-- Edited by John Williams on Thursday 20th of December 2012 10:06:21 PM