Common Buzzards

[Paul Johnson]

Hello all,

I'd be grateful if anyone could tell me the places where one is most likely to see common buzzards in Hertfordshire. I had never seen them until the other day (August 9th 2003) when I saw four all at once at Woodhall Park near Watton-at-Stone (I expect this is old hat to most birdwatchers in the area).

Thanks

PS What about red kites?

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the forum!

Sorry, don't know Herts at all - but four Buzzards together at this time of year sounds like a recently fledged family party. They're likely to hang around the area quite a lot, so if you re-visit, you'll likely see them again, if the weather is suitable for them to be flying (they're a bit fussy about flying conditions and aviod un-necessary flying in bad weather!)

Michael

[Andrew03]

Hi Paul
Not quite Herts, but once i saw three around J10 of the M1, and they are regularly seen around Luton Hoo (again, just in Beds). Buzzards have been seen between Redbourne and Harpenden, but not regularly. I once saw a pair of Kites near Luton Hoo, and there was one report of one over Harpenden last year.

Andrew

[SimonC]

Only just found this thread.
I've been getting fairly regular sightings of Buzzards (most recent was also 4 together on 9/2/04) over a fairly small wood on the North Eastern outskirts of Stevenage (where i go for my lunchtime walks from work!)
Not sure why, but every time I've reported said sightings to the Herts Bird Club website, they seem to have been supressed! (maybe the birds are thought to be breeding and therefore reports are being supressed for fear of disturbance? I don't know!)
I have heard of others seeing Buzzards more regularly over the last year or two also, so maybe they are getting more widespread over Herts? I hope so.

[Mick East]

Hi

I've just had 2 over house 14:10. I'm in NE Herts (Albury), had single this morning.

Fairly common in area NE of me. Seen them since 1995.

[pedler]

I saw two buzzards yesterday between silso and clophill bedfordshire

[kev6eel]

Yes, there are 2 that regularly circle over the woods around Chesfield Manor Farm (behind Graveley village past the church) to the N of Stevenage. Their calls can be clearly heard for some distance.

[Imaginos]

There is at least one pair in the area between Harpenden & Redbourn (N. of St Albans).

[dippers]

Definitiely on the increase in last few years.

There are regularly birds in the Great Gaddesden area - I saw up to 5 soaring last summer, and see at least one on most visits to the area.
West of Hemel Hempstead.
Cheers, Martin

[jforgham]

On the A10 between Buntingford, south through Puckeridge to the junction with the A120 east to Stortford is a good area. Check on www.fly.to/bsbg for other local sightings.
Regards,
Jono

[Dally]

As Andrew said above they often not far from Jnct 10 of the M1.

I would suggest if you go to the little bridge at the Lower Luton Road end of Thrales End Lane (which joins Lower Luton Road with Luton Road, the latter goes from Harpenden to junction 10) and do a bit of birding there you may see some - often they are over the trees on the hill in the distance as you look from the bridge over the Lower Luton Road. When its sunny you often see a few.