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Another Odd Looking Buzzard

geraldine79
31/12/2022 17:45

Since I spotted several Honey Buzzards this year I keep seeing buzzrads that look unusual.

Any comments on this one seen about a month ago in Dorset?

The funny thing is there seems to be a shortage of buzzards locally this year and I am seeing what seems to be a lot more of the white and other variants that seem to be more common in Europe, but which I had seen very few of before.

Is this likely caused by birds feeding on birds killed or infected by bird flu?

  • 0 02/01/2023 21:35
    Hi Geraldine, always a majestic sight. Colouration varies though doesn't it? I thought that some can be quite pale. Have there been cases of bird flu in Dorset?
  • 0 03/01/2023 19:15
    Bird flu seems most evident to me here mostly by the odd sick looking sea birds like gannets, but there have been quite a few cases of poultry farms in the county having infections and various areas having restrictions around farms and also places like Abbotsbury Swannery being closed for some time now.
    Having said that there have been no noticeable restrictions at most normal birding sites.
    It has probably affected some of the sites here that are moving birds like ospreys from scotland for hatching down here, but part of the reason for this may be down to some of the severe weather in the last year or so.
  • 0 03/01/2023 20:31
    Hi

    young Common Buzzards frequently show more white in their plumage until they moult in late winter/ spring:

    S

    For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides,  binoculars, scopes, tripods,  etc - put 'Birding Tips'   into the search box

  • 0 05/01/2023 07:41
    Forget the bird flu - another local gamekeeper has recently been found with poisoned bodies and remnants of at least 10 buzzards and a kite. This is after the other well known cases in the last few years of poisoned eagles and other raptors in Dorset.
    It sounds like this local gamekeeper alone could explain why I have seen so few buzzards over the last year.
    And of course because of all the local squires and landowning politicians - not to mention King Charles at Dorchester - the police have watered down the charges even though he was clearly found in possession of these dead birds, illegal poison, and poisoned rats used for bait etc.,