Buzzards

Saturday, June 13th 2015

The bird ringers have spent many nights out on the training area freezing and getting blown away when checking next boxes and looking for wader chicks. One night last week, they left hats and scarves and thick coats in the landrovers, just in case. Blue sky, sunshine and warm temperatures were just amazing!

Buzzard nests were on the agenda - and they don't always conveniently nest in accessible places as can be seen in the pictures below!

Steep hill looking for a Buzzard nest

Some are behind fences topped with barbed wire

Fence topped with barbed wire

and when there is no steep hill or fence to negotiate there are midges.

The light was changing and the temperature dropping so the coats left in the landrovers were needed as we approached the last nest.

As usual it was high in the top of a tall tree. Sean, who has helped the bird ringers for the last 19 years, climbed to the nest, but even he was not safe from the midges!

Climbing the tree

The nest could be seen from the ground and a fully zoomed photograph just shows one of the chicks taking an interest in the proceedings.

Buzzard chick in nest

Once the chicks had been placed in the bird bags and lowered to the ground they were ringed. The scribe, busy taking photographs, delegated the task to Tony. Hope he recorded eveything accurately!

Ringing the chicks

Carefully the chicks were returned to their nest and everyone made a hasty retreat from the midges!

A huge thank you to everyone who helped during the evening. Nine fit and healthy chicks were safely ringed.

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