The story of at least one pair of Common Buzzards breeding in south Bradford in 2014 starts really in 2012. I had seen a single Common Buzzard in the autumn of 2012 on what I thought was migration over East Bierley and then I started to receive reports from Stuart Trodoff of Buzzards seen over Woodlands cricket club at Oakenshaw.
Then in September 2013 Vic Kolodziejczyk contacted me to say he had seen Buzzards fairly regularly in the Tong area. So clearly something was going on…….
Photo by Vic Kolodziejczyk
Buzzards to my knowledge have never bred in the 5 mile circle of Low Moor so when Vic told me on the 10th of May 2014 that he had seen 2 birds and one was on the nest I was jumping for joy…….
Pair of Buzzards by Vic Kolodziejczyk
Over the next few weeks it was easy for me I just sat back and worried are the pair going to raise young successfully ? But for Vic who did some sterling observation work on the nest despite been stung several times by nettles. And there were plenty of twists and turns especially when Vic contacted me and stated ‘ no sign of adults or activity at the nest site’ ……….
Then on the 14th of July Vic told me some excellent news he had seen a fledging in the nest and also downy white feathers at the sides of the nest……..
Nest with downy feathers by Vic Kolodziejczyk
Many thanks Vic for all your hard work and diligence in recording this first known breeding record for our part of south Bradford….
