Helpston's wildlife
Common Buzzard
John Clare would have been very familiar with the buzzard, which must have been a common bird in the area in the early nineteenth century. He described it as ‘of an idle disposition and not unlike the kite while perched but quite different when on the wing - it flyes in a flopping manner, something like the owl.’
Sadly for much of the intervening period buzzards would have been a very rare sight indeed. Their numbers were drastically reduced by both direct persecution and the loss of food, following the reduction in rabbit numbers in the 1950’s. By the mid 20th century their range was restricted to strongholds in the uplands of the west and north of Britain.
Today we can make similar comparisons to those of John Clare as both the red kite and the buzzard are increasingly frequent visitors to our area, with buzzards now breeding regularly in the local woods and arguably the most common bird of prey around the village.
It was only really in the late 1990’s that buzzards made their come back with occasional birds being seen over Castor Hanglands and then a small breeding population becoming established. Increasingly small family groups can be seen in the late summer and autumn, with reports of up to fourteen birds over Sutton Wood, for instance, in September 2010. Increasingly too they can be seen away from the wooded areas, frequently seen over Etton Maxey pits and out across the open fields of the Fenland.
The call of a buzzard is a distinctive mewing sound - compare it with the more whistling note of the red kite by clicking on the following links one after another - Buzzard and Red Kite
A sign of just how far the buzzard has recovered is that is now believed to be Britain’s commonest bird of prey.