A sad find indeed....

If you have been reading this blog lately and have followed my Buzzard posts then you might be upset to find out that unfortunately a few days ago we found the Buzzard looking worse for wear. I managed to catch the bird as it had no energy to move and after examining they were no signs of injury or poisoning. The Buzzard quickly deteriorated and passed away in my arms which was sad to witness. The Buzzard was very underweight and must have hit the nearby power cables as it's flight feathers were very damaged. A few Swans each year fly into them at this site and die nearby due to the area they are located over a small body of water. 

The Buzzard seemed to only be eating worms instead of hunting or scavenging especially over the last few cold weeks plus staying in the same quiet area and not going very far to hunt Rabbits that feed in the nearby field. We buried the Buzzard under some very heavy rocks at one of our kayaking spots down on the river.  We have named the spot Buzzards rest and hopefully in a few months once the body decomposes we will have a complete Buzzards skeleton which will be amazing to see. Every time I go to Buzzards rest now I will always remember the days that I was let to get so close to this stunning aerial predator that have become a favorite of mine on my local patch.
Here's one last photograph I took of the Buzzard a few weeks ago when it was full of energy and hunting for worms at my feet.

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe
 

Mike