Buzzards hovering (1 Viewer)

[Cartman]

Was driving out of Morpeth this evening and on entering the A1M I noticed a Kestrel hovering (or so I thought) as I got closer I realised it was way too big and then realised it was a Buzzard.

I have seen a few Buzzards around Morpeth in the last few months but never hovering, anyone else seem this?

 

[John B (not the sloop)]

Yep, but it's an occasional rather than a habitual thing with Buzzards. Round here they seem to prefer the loaf around on a telegraph pole approach to hunting.

 

[Steve Schoech]

I used to see rough-legged hawks 'kiting' fairly regularly (I haven't lived north enough in years to see them recently, hence the 'used to see') and red-tails more occasionally (both using the wind for assistance).

 

[Cartman]

Yep, but it's an occasional rather than a habitual thing with Buzzards. Round here they seem to prefer the loaf around on a telegraph pole approach to hunting.

It only did it for a few seconds...nearly crashed my freaking car :-O

 

[Mike Price]

A group of us were having a similar conversation after watching a buzzard hovering over the moor last weekend

 

[Dave H]

I watched a buzzard hover by the side of the road on Mull a few years ago. It was about the same height above the heather as a kestrel might be. It's actually quite amazing to watch a bird that size hover. I also nearly crashed the car!

 

[Tideliner]

In suitable weather hovering is common in Norfolk buzzards.

 

[Biancone]

I've certainly seen buzzards hovering from time to time, but never habitually, like Kestrel. And locally, there only one place - a huge area of flat fields and gravel working - where I've seen it regularly. Don't know if it's one individual that's learned the technique, or perhaps there's something about the topography that makes it an effective way to forage?

 

[martin kitching]

It's relatively common behaviour for buzzards. Looks very different to a hovering Kestrel, even at long range.

cheers
martin

Was driving out of Morpeth this evening and on entering the A1M I noticed a Kestrel hovering (or so I thought) as I got closer I realised it was way too big and then realised it was a Buzzard.

I have seen a few Buzzards around Morpeth in the last few months but never hovering, anyone else seem this?

 

[Flemingo]

Lots of buzzards locally but only ever seen hovering over some grassy coastal slopes without any suitable trees for perching. Must be energy sapping so perhaps avoided when possible!

 

[Mickr]

For 2 years I would see up to a dozen Buzzards a day and have only once been lucky enough to see one hovering. The one I watched hovering for a few minutes was doing so above a small hill and was facing into a head wind which probably helped. It didn't look anything like a Kestrel as the wing beats were much slower and powerful if that makes sense.

 

[michael23]

Have seen it a few times here in derbyshire, i have seen upto 3 buzzards hover within a few hundred yds of one another, its all down to the winds.

 

[luke1]

Have seen Brown Falcons do it, not quite as gracefully as Kestrels though.

 

[martin kitching]

I saw 7 common buzzards today while birdwatching with one of my clients around southwest Northumberland. 2 out of 7 were hovering; one over the river tyne away from any obvious upslope, one hovering into a stiff breeze along the top of a ridge.

cheers
martin

 

[davercox]

For 2 years I would see up to a dozen Buzzards a day and have only once been lucky enough to see one hovering. The one I watched hovering for a few minutes was doing so above a small hill and was facing into a head wind which probably helped. It didn't look anything like a Kestrel as the wing beats were much slower and powerful if that makes sense.

Makes a lot of sense Mickr. Hovering means flying into the wind at the same speed as the wind (maybe? ... um, hummingbirds are different). So you see the bird's normal wingbeat speed, roughly. Speaking of roughly, I do remember seeing Rough-legged Buzzards 'flying forward while staying still' at an incredibly slow wingbeat speed on Lofoten, Norway.