Nature Notes
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.BUZZARDS SEEM to have had a particularly good breeding season in the west and south of the country, probably because there was a plentiful supply of rabbits in early spring.
Many people have seen families of three young - the largest number a pair of birds can rear.
The big raptors were once common right across England, but persecution by gamekeepers more or less eliminated them from the eastern half of the country. Now that they are protected, they are gradually spreading back from their strongholds in the west.
Being relatively slow flyers, they cannot catch birds on the wing - although they do sometimes snatch pheasant poults off the ground - and their main prey is rabbits, rats, mice and voles.
When they soar in circles at this time of year, they sometimes seem to be flying for the joy of it, but mainly their purpose is territorial - to show who is boss over a particular area. Often a buzzard is mobbed by a crow or a rook, which, recognising a potentially dangerous predator, flies recklessly close, bombing from above. Generally the big fellow ignores such petty irritants and continues on his way, perhaps with the odd side- slip; but occasionally he will suddenly roll on his back and lash out at the interloper.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments