Hawks

Any of a group of small to medium-sized birds of prey belonging to the same family as buzzards, eagles, kites and ospreys.

 Buzzard 80 on rabbit

Buzzard  Buteo buteo

Buzzards are commonly seem but rarely photographed.  In the last week of April 2008 I spent 2 mornings in a hide near my home in Coleford hoping to get a buzzard to come down to dead rabbits.  The rabbits had been shot by a farmer, so myself and Andy Purcell tried the old baited buzzard trick!  Not that I was optimistic because I've tried this twice before without success.  Buzzards are way too wary of people, even in hides.  But on both days, the buzzard found the rabbit within an hour!

 Buzzard 84 on rabbit

 Buzzard 85 on rabbit

 Buzzard 87 on rabbit

 Buzzard 95 on rabbit

Buzzard 43 catching worm

It's rare that a buzzard will kill a healthy rabbit, they more often hunt voles but will also eat worms and beetles.

Buzzard 76

The last image is of a Buzzard nest in the Forest of Dean that was so awkwardly positioned that only a small viewing window through the leaves of other trees was possible.  I actually prefer this sort of photo, so I was happy.

Goshawk  Accipiter gentilis (S)

Osprey  Pandeon heliatus

Scottish Ospreys photographed at Rothiemurcus Fishery, Aviemore (top), Cairngorms (below), and Loch of the Lowes (middle).  The fishing osprey required a very long wait over several visits.  The chances of the bird flying away with the fish either head on to the photographer or sideways are low indeed, so I count myself very lucky to get this full frame shot on slide film.

Rothiemurcus

Marsh harrier     Circus aeruginosus

At Cley Marsh and Stubbs Mill in Norfolk, an incredible number of marsh harriers can be seen each evening.  At Cley up to a dozen birds are regular, whereas at Stubbs Mill up to 50 can be seen in the air at the same time!

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