Sandy, Bedfordshire: The smaller birds lunged and jabbed with mute jibes that might have said: 'Egg thief! Chick killer! Get out of our territory!'All through the spring, mewling cries of raptors have scolded out of thin air. On clear-sky days such as this the buzzard is complainer-in-chief, condemned by nature to speak only in a minor key. Even in the exaltation of soaring, the uplift of raised wings is accompanied by a downbeat of dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, the buzzard demonstrates moments of great expressiveness, when its peevish tones are transformed into genuine distress.Such a mayday came just as I was sauntering down the long slope from Sheerhatch Wood. The call had me swivelling round to scan over the trees, only to be turned again by a pained cry that seemed to be coming from the opposite direction. The buzzard was flying overhead, assaulted front, back and sides by a pair of crows. The smaller birds were intent on ruffling a few feathers, lunging and jabbing with mute jibes that might have said: "Egg thief! Chick killer! Get out of our territory!" The hapless buzzard, their sworn-at enemy, flapped in loud desperation, unable to rid itself of its turbulent assailants. Continue reading...
Country diary: buzzard and crows meet in aerial combat
14. června 2018 7:01
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Celý článek: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/14/country-diary-buzzard-crows-aerial-combat-sandy-bedfordshire
Zdroj: The Guardian