Probably a kestrel rather than buzzard, now that I look at it. Buzzards are very, very common here, and keen overhead all the time though, so I probably made that assumption. Only saw it briefly and just got the pic. We don't get many kestrels in the garden, or even near enough to see, as they have plenty of habitat around. We had a sparrow hawk making a swift zoom through one day, just as I came in the back gate. He whizzed off as soon as I appeared. Again, there's so much available habitat around us that they aren't common in gardens, despite the ready availability of 'dinner'.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hedgehogs were accidentally released on Lismore, the Scottish island I know well, a few years ago. The island is a haven for ground-nesting birds, so people have been trying to "re-home" the hedgehogs onto the mainland, since they eat eggs in the nests. But it's illegal to kill them!
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Probably a kestrel rather than buzzard, now that I look at it. Buzzards are very, very common here, and keen overhead all the time though, so I probably made that assumption. Only saw it briefly and just got the pic.
Bird ID is full of pitfalls especially raptors, gulls & 'little brown jobs'
I reckon your pic is a Sparrowhawk, going by the banding on the tail.
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
@Fairygirl over here what you call buzzards we call hawks. I've never heard anyone call a hawk a buzzard, not even at the wildlife centers. It's a "New World" thing, according to my quick google search. Buzzard is the correct term in Europe.
Buzzard here is generally reserved for the Turkey Vulture, which is my absolute favorite bird.
New England, USA
Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
You're probably right @LunarSea. We get all sorts of birds of prey but rarely in the gardens themselves, although buzzards are by far the most common. They're common all over Scotland. I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about it though - I was more concerned that he was stuck and might get injured. I think there's another pic so I might have a look and see if it's s'hawk as you say. Every day's a school day isn't it?
Hawk would be a fairly generic term for many birds of prey here @CrankyYankee. It could all be quite confusing though. I'm not sure I'd fancy that one in the garden I remember getting some pix on a hill in Glen Lyon many years ago, and just assumed it was a young kestrel until @Sheps informed me it was a Merlin, and was quite jealous that I'd seen it! I don't always have time to spend hanging around if I'm out though, especially if light is in short supply, or it's a 7 or 8 hour hill day, but I wouldn't have known it was a merlin as opposed to a kestrel. It was just lovely to watch them for a few minutes. They're common over in the Pentland Hills, further east, too. I occasionally get pix of ptarmigan and snow buntings when I'm out, but it's often pure luck. I just enjoy seeing them all and sharing their space.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Lots of buzzards and assorted hawks around here but the latter move too fast for me to identify which ones. Herons, egrets and storks in season.
It's blowing a hooly and persisting down here so no birds in sight. I nipped out in a quiet spell abouthalf an hour ago to put out a newly stocked fat ball feeder and 3 scoops of loose seed but no takers so far. We have a coupl eof starlings who have recently mastered the art of fat ball feeding which is going to be a pain.
All the small birds and the usual susects like magpies and collared doves are staying away today but some of the sparrows and one robin will be in the hen shed nicking food from there and the hens will be in the polytunnel where it's light and warmer and dry. They have food and water in there too as well as dust baths in the unplanted beds.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Had a look - you can see his tail clearly here The sparrows love to get in among the hedge, so I reckon that's what caught his eye. They all b*ggered off quickly though. I expect they were sitting nearby sniggering though, when he got properly caught in the hedge.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I am lucky as a pair of buzzards nest every year just over the clay spoil heap hill at the bottom of my garden. I love to hear them calling. Each year I am able to follow the family's progress from how many babies hatch, to them learning hunting and flying skills, saw one take off from the field next to my garden, with a baby rabbit in its talons. The whole neighbourhood heard its shrieks of pride as it took off. "Look Mum,! Look what I've got!" No wonder their calls are described as mewing. They sound just like baby kittens. They never come into the garden, too much space and open ground for them to hunt over.
I topped up my feeders today after the snow had melted, then they were like Picadilly Circus. We may have more snow tonight, quite a shock to wake up to this morning but absolutely beautiful for a few hours. The dog went "all dizzy" with excitement. He has short stumpy legs so didn't enjoy having his stomach and bits and pieces frozen but kept wanting to go outside to investigate the weird, cold wet stuff. Couldn't understand the phenomenon. The cat was just disgusted and stayed indoors with me.
You are so lucky to have seen or photographed raptors in your gardens. I have seen a SparrowHawk briefly a couple of times only, as by the time I reach for the binoculars it has darted off.
Melted and replaced bird bath water and put fresh fat balls in holder plus a couple crushed for the ground, so that should help out during this cold spell. Saw magpies gathering twiggy bits so perhaps they are nest building already??
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We don't get many kestrels in the garden, or even near enough to see, as they have plenty of habitat around. We had a sparrow hawk making a swift zoom through one day, just as I came in the back gate. He whizzed off as soon as I appeared. Again, there's so much available habitat around us that they aren't common in gardens, despite the ready availability of 'dinner'.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Bird ID is full of pitfalls especially raptors, gulls & 'little brown jobs'
I reckon your pic is a Sparrowhawk, going by the banding on the tail.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
Hawk would be a fairly generic term for many birds of prey here @CrankyYankee. It could all be quite confusing though. I'm not sure I'd fancy that one in the garden
I remember getting some pix on a hill in Glen Lyon many years ago, and just assumed it was a young kestrel until @Sheps informed me it was a Merlin, and was quite jealous that I'd seen it!
I don't always have time to spend hanging around if I'm out though, especially if light is in short supply, or it's a 7 or 8 hour hill day, but I wouldn't have known it was a merlin as opposed to a kestrel. It was just lovely to watch them for a few minutes. They're common over in the Pentland Hills, further east, too.
I occasionally get pix of ptarmigan and snow buntings when I'm out, but it's often pure luck. I just enjoy seeing them all and sharing their space.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It's blowing a hooly and persisting down here so no birds in sight. I nipped out in a quiet spell abouthalf an hour ago to put out a newly stocked fat ball feeder and 3 scoops of loose seed but no takers so far. We have a coupl eof starlings who have recently mastered the art of fat ball feeding which is going to be a pain.
All the small birds and the usual susects like magpies and collared doves are staying away today but some of the sparrows and one robin will be in the hen shed nicking food from there and the hens will be in the polytunnel where it's light and warmer and dry. They have food and water in there too as well as dust baths in the unplanted beds.
The sparrows love to get in among the hedge, so I reckon that's what caught his eye. They all b*ggered off quickly though. I expect they were sitting nearby sniggering though, when he got properly caught in the hedge.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
I topped up my feeders today after the snow had melted, then they were like Picadilly Circus. We may have more snow tonight, quite a shock to wake up to this morning but absolutely beautiful for a few hours.
The dog went "all dizzy" with excitement. He has short stumpy legs so didn't enjoy having his stomach and bits and pieces frozen but kept wanting to go outside to investigate the weird, cold wet stuff. Couldn't understand the phenomenon. The cat was just disgusted and stayed indoors with me.