Out delivering today, I heard and saw what I took to be honey buzzards over Craig Gwladus. I'd be interested if any local expert could confirm my observation.
There is certainly good news about another success story in Wales, the red kite. Much of this is due to the late MP for Neath, Donald Coleman. Some people are dismissive of the fact that he will be remembered only for protecting a bird, but that is not the worst legacy for a MP.
Update: managed to snatch a digital shot of one of the birds on my way back from "surgery". The angle of the wings definitely indicates honey buzzard. I knew that the species had been reported from further up the Dulais valley last year, and that Radio 4's "World on the Move" had recently commented on the increase in England & Wales this year, so it's not entirely a surprise. It's one of the few benefits of global warming that birds previously confined to the continent are now breeding over here.
3 comments:
We could all do our bit to promote and protect our bird life.
Wild bird food and nesting boxes can be purchased for supermarkets and smaller stores in addition to our local pet shops (preferable to promote local business).
The RSPB does have an excellent website, which includeds plans for making your own nest boxes.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/nestboxes/smallbirds/making.asp
Bat boxes also promotes our flying mammals.
Thats not a honey buzzard
Looked different from a bog-standard buzzard to me, and it was confirmed that they were nesting in the valley that year.
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