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***tommy*** · 19-04-2009, 08:20 PM

Has anyone seen a buzzard catch anything?
A Friend of mine watched a male buzzard having a few go's at a cock pheasant the other day but the pheasant just stood up to him. Then the buzzard went on to catch a baby rabbit.
Just wondered if anyone has seen one catch anything of substance?

beef · 20-05-2009, 03:30 PM

(19-04-2009 08:20 PM)tommy Wrote: Has anyone seen a buzzard catch anything?
A Friend of mine watched a male buzzard having a few go's at a cock pheasant the other day but the pheasant just stood up to him. Then the buzzard went on to catch a baby rabbit.
Just wondered if anyone has seen one catch anything of substance?

Hi Tommy,

Not seen one catching anything as much as I'd like to! Could you please advise if it's okay to leave out bait for a buzzard so that I could photograph it from a hide? I was thinking of leaving a freshly killed rabbit on a fence post and setting up my camera nearby or would this be frowned upon?

***tommy*** · 20-05-2009, 08:53 PM

Hi Beef and welcome to forum.
Who would frown on it?
As far as I know its a commonly used practice among wildlife photographers and its not breaking any laws as far as I can see.
You would have to put rabbit up out of way of foxes etc,
Good luck with it and make sure to show us your photos when you get them.
Tom

Gitser · 21-05-2009, 01:30 PM

Hi Beef
I agree with Tommy.
A gamekeeper friend of mine used to leave rabbits out for a nesting pair of buzzards. Just to be sure they would have enough food for the chicks.
If you get any good photos you might post one or two here. I for one would love to see them.
Gitser

beef · 25-05-2009, 09:36 PM

Great stuff thanks lads... I'm getting holidays friday so I'm hoping to get a bit of time out in the field. By the way Tommy, I'll be up around Carlow direction during the hols - whereabouts are you? I might be interested in a Hawk walk or something if that's okay? It would only be 2 or 3 of us...

***tommy*** · 27-05-2009, 10:32 PM

no problem. My number is on the home page, give me a buzz anytime

Tray · 21-06-2010, 10:12 PM

(19-04-2009 08:20 PM)tommy Wrote: Has anyone seen a buzzard catch anything?
A Friend of mine watched a male buzzard having a few go's at a cock pheasant the other day but the pheasant just stood up to him. Then the buzzard went on to catch a baby rabbit.
Just wondered if anyone has seen one catch anything of substance?

tommy a few miles from where i live i was releasling some young pheasants last year (phesants were fully grown and fyling) when out of the corner of my eye i saw someting swoop down on a cock bird as he was running for cover, when it got my full attention i seen it was a buzzard and he struck the phesant on the back but did not hold onto it and the bird made it to safety in the furs, but the phesant was hurt as he didnt move for a few moments and when he did it was slowly. I had binos with me and watched the buzzard land in a tree nearby. Went back the next day and there was a pair in the same place, they even landed about a hundred yards away on a round bale and just sat there for about 10 minutes obviously looking for my newly released phesants, only regret was not havin a camera with a good zoom as these birds looked magnificent in the binos. They still frequent the area obviously waiting for me to deliver meals on wheels Big Grin

gversey · 26-06-2010, 11:04 AM

I seen plenty around my way,unfortunetly not catching anything, i was wondering would a buzzard fly through forests or do they just soar open plains/fields, i was walking through a forest where i walk the dogs daily and seen a huge brown bird of prey landing on a tree in front of me, when i stopped to look closely it took of, would it have been a buzzard? Could it have been a loose harris hawk? It really resemble one that i have seen in Tommys place.