Can Buzzards Attack and Why ?

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.