Homeless Buzzard?

[tiadublin]

I just thought I'd post this picture to highlight how the countryside seems to be getting smaller and smaller. This is a picture i took the other day at the back of Cheltenham racecourse whilst walking my dogs. Apologies for the poor picture, if you look closely a Buzzard is sat in the tree looking at the digger destroying one of his fields.
A developer has bought at least 4 fields close to the racecourse to build on an existing hotel. The area is absolutely packed with wildlife and the birdlife is/was thriving in this area. Every year at the start of Spring, hundreds of swallows come to the field where i took this picture and stay for around a month. It's an amazing sight to see and i just wonder if they will be back this year with diggers and trucks driving metres away from where they fly, rest and eat.
It's a shame that the relentless pursuit of money has to come at the cost of the homes of those who cannot oppose.

I'm not looking for an argument or big debate, i just think it's a sad sight to see.

[rossy]

hello tiadublin i agree with you totally developers and the government dont give a monkeys about wildlife only whats going to line their pockets, up here they put windfarms and the wildlife has gone and it used to thrive, facts are facts and i for one wont listen to the garbage and excuses they come out with. regards rossy.

[Picidae]

I expect the Buzzard isn't 'homeless' but planning to swoop in for some easy worming when the workers have gone

Swallows hawk insects and are a fantastic sight to see swooping over fields although it looks like you're in a fairly rural area so hopefully won't have too much impact and they will fly upto 600 miles a day in looking for food, so not excessively site dependent. The hotel may even provide a few nesting places. Perhaps you could approach the hotel developers and see if they will agree to put up some nest boxes!

I agree, always a crying shame to me when I see green sites being developed.

[tiadublin]

Thanks rossy

It seems some people can't see further than their own bank accounts, regardless of the destruction it causes.

Cheers

[tiadublin]

Hi Picadae

I admit, homeless was a bit dramatic hehe! A good idea to ask the hotel to put something back into what has been lost....very positive thinking!
I know little about swallows, just that they come to the same field every year for 3-4 weeks, eat, fly, swoop etc and then they are gone, except for a few who stick around for the summer. They are great to watch whatever they are doing.

[rossy]

spot on tiadublin makes me wonder in years to come, will people be saying to there children these birds used to breed in britain and having to show them photos or dvds , i know it might sound dramatic but it could happen, what would you like to see wildlife or buildings or windfarms, its a no brainer regards rossy.