Birds of prey getting closer to home!

[rlchew]

When I first started birdwatching many years ago, I had to travel to Wales to see Common Buzzards and especially Red Kites.

I now see Red Kites on almost every trip north via the M40 (the Chilterns re-introduction area).

As an Essex resident, I see Kestrels and Sparrowhawks fairly regularly and also, particulaly during the winter months, Marsh Harriers and Hen Harriers.

Howver, Common Buzzards and Red Kites are clearly spreading westwards towards my home patch of south Essex .

On my return from Wlaes this morning, I saw 5 Red Kites from the mid/eastern stretches of the M4 and another from the northern section of the M25 (near J18).

Leaving the M25 at J29 for the A127 (just a few miles from home) and there was a Common Buzzard soaring in the summer sunshine.

I live in a second floor flat .... eyes peeled and binoculars at the ready .... the birds of prey of the traditional upland areas of the west and north are coming!

Richard

[Jonners]

I was talking about this on Saturday. I was remarking that Buzzards in particular have moved eastwards with no apparent breeding or release programmes (to my knowledge). I now regularly see them along the A14 between Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket, and down the A11 south of Newmarket. I saw two on the A1 today in Lincolnshire and a third one over the A14 near Cambridge. Magnificent birds, and it's super not to have to travel to the other side of the country to see them.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Excellent news. there was a report of a buzzard on the A12 in Romford a few weeks ago and red kite sightings 2 weeks ago, so they are certainly spreading. Ive still not seen them any closer to home thn Danbury though...

[aeshna5]

I agree- where I live in the west London suburbs there are 4 species of raptor I regularly see- Buzzard, Hobby, Kestrel + Sparrowhawk with occasional Red Kite + Peregrine (latter more common further into the city).

When I first started birding many years ago Kestrel was the only species, though this appears less common now. Yesterday this was the one of the 4 species mentioned at the beginning I didn't see.

[aeshna5]

After posting earlier this morning my first raptor of the day was a female Sparrowhawk over the garden which as I was cutting back a large rose, I would have missed had it not been for the mobbing squawks of a small flock of Ring-necked Parakeets.

My partner + I then had a walk around some of the wilder parts of Northolt/Hillingdon + in c4 hours we saw a pair of high Red Kites drifting east, 2 separate Sparrowhawks, a distant Kestrel + a Hobby that appeared from behind a hedgerow oak within 20 metres from where we were sitting having lunch.

A good tally, but couldn't find a Buzzard! I've seen Hobby virtually everytime I've been out recently (more than Kestrel) with birds at Ruislip Woods, Wimbledon Common, Kew Gardens, Yeading Meadows, Gutteridge Woods + down my road in Greenford. In my 20's you had to go to particular sites to see this bird, but now seems widespread in the suburbs, which is fantastic as they are one of my favourite birds.

[Littlesparrow]

I,m in the North of England and we see quite a few common buzzards and sometimes sparrow Hawks. The Buzzard will come into the garden to snatch Pigeons.