Whilst out wandering the countryside I came across a chap who claimed he'd just been attacked by a BoP with a 3ft wingspan. He showed me how he'd fended of the bird who had hit him on the back of the head on the first swoop. He also informed me where it had happened which was next to an oak tree a couple of fields away. I asked him if he was OK, he said he was and we parted company.
Now this got me thinking about an occasion I was informed of two years ago. As some of you know I snap some motor racing images from time to time. Well at an event at Curborough, one of the Rescue Team informed me that they'd just dealt with a guy out jogging near the course who was covered in blood. They'd patched him up and called for an ambulance. The jogger claimed that he'd been attacked by a buzzard.
Well I continued my walk and I came across the field the chap claimed he had been attacked in earlier and sure enough there was a buzzard circling high up as they do. Well as I approached the oak tree the buzzard’s tell tail shriek became louder and louder. Obviously with the two stories in mind I started to watch the buzzard more closely. Well he certainly came very close to me on one or two occasions but he didn't attack. However his shrieking became more and more intense even when he'd settled on his perch in the oak tree.
I was obviously carrying a camera but only the G10 and I managed to get one which was of the buzzard about 20ft above me. It’s not brilliant but you get the picture. I wished I’d got my other camera but best not to dwell on missed opportunities.
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Hi John
Very interesting what you have said here
I wonder if like most BoP's they have grown distrustful of people, and prefer to keep them at a distance. If a person gets too close then the bird strikes hard
Crows have a built in distrust of mankind now, and will never allow a person to get close to them at all.
Who can blame them
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Well everyone, I returned first thing this morning to the same field to see if the Buzzard was there. Only this time armed with my trusty EOS 1D mkIII and zoom lens. I parked up, got out, put my boots on and assembled the camera, lens and monopod. Shut the tail gate and locked the car. Whilst doing that there was not a sound in the air other than my activities.
I crossed the road and climbed through the hedge and just as I was about to start to walk down the public footpath the shrieking started. I looked through the camera to the oak tree some 500 yards away and sure enough the buzzard took off and headed straight for me, only to be attacked by a crow/raven who was no doubt displeased with all the racket so early in the morning.
After a hasty retreat back to the oak tree the buzzard settled down on its perch. I removed my monopod as it became clear that I couldn't follow the buzzard in flight with it attached. I then started to walk towards the oak tree. After about 100 yards the buzzard took off once more and headed straight for me again shrieking all the way. Another altercation with the crow/raven took place but the buzzard got away and continued on it journey to me in a “Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds” type of way (note the B&W image)
I think this is the only time I've thanked Canon for making such a noisy camera as I'm sure it stopped the buzzard from actually having a go (this time). Anyway the buzzard continued to circle me in a very intimidating way.
As I stood my ground the buzzard returned to his oak tree. After all was quiet I then proceeded on towards the tree and after another 100 yards covered the buzzard had taken off once again whilst shrieking intensely and again headed on it way towards me? However, there were no crows/ravens to intercept on this occasion, so therefore I was on my own. With the 6ft monopod in one hand and camera in the other I wondered whether to snap the camera or flail the monopod in the air to defend myself. I chose to continue taking snaps.
After these images through the lens I could tell the buzzard was now used to the noisy Canon so I decided to leg it (slowly at first).
Hi Richard,
brilliant photos of the Buzzard there - but wow! How scary! I don't think I'd have got as close as you managed to do (I'm a wimp like that lol).
That Buzzard has got to be defending young and a territory for certain, well for certain in the amateur's untrained eye like myself.
After reafing your story its got me thinking, when people are in the papers for being attacked by Birds of prey, it makes me wonder if they simply just ignored the warning calls and signs and carried on ignorantly. Especially since this Buzzard in your photos didn't come along by surprise, I bet its the same with other BoPs too.
Al - you've certainly had some scrapes, lol!
Hello rhodospin,
Having nearly been knocked off of my motorbike once, I can concur that being mobbed by a Buzzard is pretty scary. All birds when protecting young, territory or indeed food can potentially react like this, they are just trying to drive what they perceive to be a threat away. The bigger the bird, the more the daunting this behaviour is. It is often best to avoid areas where you know a bird is behaving like this or at least carry a hat or umbrella if it cannot be avoided.
Claire
Hi Claire
I'm not sure if this Buzzard is paired up as there were no signs or sounds of the partner or young.
Could it be a young bird staking it's claim to the area and feels it has to defend it from everything. There is a very small village and farm/fishery near the oak tree so the Buzzard probably doesn't see many humans.
The Buzzard didn't actually attack me unlike the chap claimed who I came across yesterday but it certainly was intimidating.
I'm also concerned that others may get attacked whilst walking on the path and they may take unnecessary steps to have it stopped to protect those using the path.
Richard
Is it not possible to get in touch with the land owner so he can put up warning signs, or do you think that might get the wrong response?
Unknown said: Is it not possible to get in touch with the land owner so he can put up warning signs, or do you think that might get the wrong response?
I'm not sure what response it will get.
It may also draw everyone attention to it as with the so called "city fox attack" which caused unnecessary attention from the press.
Hi Rhod, what awsome photos of a fantastic bird. I've never seen one up close but I can imagine the alarm felt when one is high tailing it towards you.
My worst experience of being attacked by a bird was by a herring gull that had a nest on the roof of the doctors surgery. I ran like a Benny Hill sketch from the car to get inside the door before it could come back for a second shot.!
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
I got pecked across the face by a Herring Gull when I was little. They nested on our roof and the youngsters regularly fell off and landed in a sort of outside basement area, where the adults would struggle to find them. My parents decided it was my job to catch them with a towel, carry them up through the house and 'post' them out through the skylight onto the roof again. After this one made a nice long cut across my cheek, I was extra careful to make sure the towel went over their heads, and to hold them at arm's length.
Cracking Buzzard shots!
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Ooooh aiki, poor you, that can't have been pleasant. I think after that, I would have just put an arrow sign up saying "Your chick is here" pointing down into the basement area!