The Buzz #2

I’m still admiring the Stover Country Park Buzzard.

Common Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It’s a glorious bird and seems oblivious to the crowd of people on the aerial walkway who are fascinated by it:

Common Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

It’s entirely focussed on the potential food below. There’s a mixture of mice, rats and Squirrels to tempt it:

It’s often covered by branches, has its back to us, is obscured by a tree-trunk or silhouetted against the sun in the most frustrating way possible. Luckily today it’s giving wonderful views.

Common Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Buzzards are routinely persecuted by gamekeepers employed by rich landowners in Britain, with illegal traps, poisoned bait and shotgun blasts. Here’s a classic example ‘Norfolk buzzard poisoning gamekeeper sentenced‘:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-29929353/norfolk-buzzard-poisoning-gamekeeper-sentenced

Here it is in Scotland, ‘Rare birds poisoning toll reaches 16’.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-26871358/rare-birds-poisoning-toll-reaches-16

And it’s not just Buzzards which are endangered by illegally kept poisons: ‘Dogs and buzzards die after being deliberately poisoned’.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-44039176

Why are they targeted? Mainly to increase the multi-million pound profits from shooting pheasant and grouse.

Common Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

I think Buzzards deserve protection and not persecution. What do you think?

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