As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Buzzard attack sparks osprey conservation fears



SHOCKING footage of an attack on an osprey chick by a buzzard has emerged - sparking conservation fears.

The chick is one of only two hatched this year on the osprey nest at Lochter Estate, Aberdeenshire, and was almost snatched by the buzzard before falling to the ground.

Luckily, the chick survived with only injuries and is now recovering through SSPCA care.

A chick from the same nest was grabbed by a buzzard before being dropped to its death last year and this latest incident has led to calls for better measures to protect the species.

The estate's owner, Euan Webster, said was shocked at the recording: "“This footage is clear evidence that last year’s buzzard attack was far from being an isolated incident.

“It is a sign that working to conserve one iconic bird of prey while more common species which predate it breed unchecked is just not working.

“There were two healthy chicks until ten days ago when one chick “mysteriously” fell out of the nest - we have no video of its fall.

“Then on Sunday the remaining chick was attacked as can be seen in the video.

“One chick is with the SSPCA with a broken part of its wing while the other has been safely returned to the nest and is doing fine albeit the parent birds are constantly fighting off the pair of buzzards.

“This cannot be passed off as simply nature taking its course as humans have managed all types of bird for hundreds of years, we must now surely have a responsibility to continue this management in a way that is logical.




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