Buzzard off! Cyclist films his daily ride to work along a country lane where he faces a constant threat of aerial attack from a DIVE-BOMBING bird of prey

Aidan Williams is dive-bombed by a Buzzard bird every time he takes the route 

The bird is thought to be protecting a nest on the road near Sandon in Staffs

Aidan claims that he is only targeted when cycling alone down the quiet lane

By Samantha Mordi For Mailonline

PUBLISHED: 21:40, 31 July 2017 | UPDATED: 22:42, 31 July 2017

This is the moment a buzzard was captured dive-bombing a cyclist as he rides down a quiet country lane.

Cyclist, Aidan Williams claims he is regularly attacked every time he takes the route in Sandon, near Staffordshire.

In the video he can be seen cycling as he waits for the bird to make its daily swoop.

Read more and see video: 

Cyclist 'repeatedly attacked' by huge bird of prey that sinks sharp talons into his jersey

Aidan Williams said he has been dive-bombed by the predator on a regular basis on a country lane near his home in Sandon, Staffordshire

ByRachel O'Donoghue


A cyclist has been "repeatedly attacked" by a large bird of prey that tries to sink its sharp talons into into him when he bikes out near his home.

Aidan Williams says he has been dive-bombed by the predator on a regular basis on a country lane near his home in Sandon, Staffordshire.

Experts believe the bird – which Mr Williams thinks could be a hawk – is resorting to the aggressive behaviour because it's trying to protect its young.

But bizarrely, the bird only seems to target him and ignores other cyclists, cars and walkers.

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APPEAL: Can you help police track down the person who killed a Peregrine Falcon in Staffordshire?

By Staffordshire Newsletter | Posted: May 18, 2015

A PROTECTED bird of prey has been found shot dead in North Staffordshire.

The Peregrine Falcon was found on May 7 at an undisclosed location.

Police are urging anyone with information to get in contact.

Sergeant Mark Joynson from Staffordshire Police said: "Peregrine Falcons are a rare species which means the birds, their nests, and eggs, are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take a Peregrine, or to disturb it whilst nesting.

"Officers are working closely with colleagues at the RSPB and inquiries into this incident are ongoing."

RSPB Intelligence Officer Helen Mason said: "Peregrines are magnificent birds and to shoot one is not only cruel, but needless and selfish.

"It has taken decades for the Peregrine population to recover from the devastating effects of pesticide contamination in the latter half of the last century, and yet we still find them targeted year on year by people who hold a grudge against them. The RSPB is offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible."

Read more: 

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results for Staffordshire swoop in

More than a million eyes took up the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch challenge of 'seeing things through the eyes of a bird' this year, witnessing some exciting and interesting changes among our most popular garden birds.

In excess of 585,000 people across the country spent an hour during the weekend of 24 and 25 January watching their garden and recording any feathered friends that made a flying visit - close to a 100,000 increase on 2014; 7,823 people took part from across Staffordshire.

This year in the Midlands, 1.5 million birds were counted. The house sparrow remained the most commonly-reported bird, with an average of four in each garden. Blackbirds swooped in at number two, appearing in 90 per cent of all gardens, while the blue tit was the third-most spotted bird.

Overall more than eight-and-a-half million birds were spotted, making it another bumper year. Refreshingly, sightings of every bird that featured in this year's top 20 increased on the numbers recorded in 2014, apart from the three finches; chaffinch, goldfinch and greenfinch.

Read more: 

Twitcher's double 1,500 miles apart: Birdwatcher tags same blackcap during Portuguese holiday weeks after he spotted bird close to his Staffordshire home

Dave Clifton had tagged the small bird near his Staffordshire home

Weeks later on holiday 1,500 miles away in Portugal he captured same bird

Mr Clifton was part of a group catching migrating birds to check tags to see where they had flown from in Europe while making their way to Africa

Chances of catching the same bird twice are almost incalculable 

By JAYA NARAIN FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 00:28, 25 November 2014 | UPDATED: 00:29, 25 November 2014

A British birdwatcher enjoying a sunshine holiday in Portugal thought he was experiencing a case of deja vu when he captured a tiny bird.

When Dave Clifton examined the identification ring on the leg of the blackcap he thought it bore an uncanny similarity to the one he had ringed weeks earlier.

But that was 1,500 miles away close to his home Staffordshire and the chances of capturing the same bird twice are almost incalculable.

Read more:

Botulism kills birds in Merseyside, Manchester and Staffordshire

1 August 2014 Last updated at 13:50

More than 130 birds have died from avian botulism in parks across Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Staffordshire, the RSPCA has said.

RSPCA officers have found the bodies of swans, Canada geese, coots and ducks and have collected about 30 dead birds from Birkenhead Park in Merseyside.

The RSPCA is rescuing and treating birds that have contracted the disease.

Humans are not thought to be in danger, as the disease cannot be spread by touching or being near infected birds.

Avian botulism is caused by a water-soluble toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and is more often seen in warmer weather.

The RSPCA said the disease had affected birds at Newsham Park, Stanley Park and Walton Hall Park all in Liverpool, Boggart Hole Clough in Manchester, Rudyard Lakes in Rudyard, Staffordshire and Firs Park in Leigh, Wigan.

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Rare birds flourishing at Staffordshire nature reserve

After carrying out a number of bird surveys, the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has announced species including oystercatcher, lapwing and redshank are living and continuing to breed at Croxall Lakes near Alrewas.

All three species are in decline across the country, with the lapwing’s breeding population having fallen by more than 40 per cent in the last 18 years. According to figures from the British Trust for Ornithology, the redshank has declined by more than 60 per cent in the last 35 years. As a result, the bird has been put on the ‘red list’ by the RSPB for its rarity.

Continued

Trust aims to bring back rare birds to Staffordshire

A wildlife trust is aiming to bring back rare bitterns to Staffordshire by spending £25,000 on buying a quarry.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust wants to buy 130-acre (5.2 sq km) Tucklesholme Quarry, near Barton-under-Needwood, and turn it into a nature reserve.

According to the RSPB, bitterns disappeared from Britain in 1886

The birds began to reappear in 1910 and their numbers picked up, before declining again. In 1997, there were just 11 males

Grahame Madge, RSPB spokesperson, said more was now known about the birds' habitats and efforts were being made to encourage stable inland breeding populations

So far the trust, which has been fundraising since early November, has raised £18,000 for the project.

The trust believes bitterns, which were once extinct in Britain, have not bred in the county for more than a century.

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Criminal gangs targeting rare birds of prey

Rare birds are becoming the prey of criminal gangs in the Midlands, police have revealed.

It has emerged that thieves are targeting one specific quarry in south Staffordshire where beautiful, and protected, Peregrine Falcons return to nest, lay eggs and raise their young chicks every year.

And not only are these precious eggs being stolen and others damaged, but wildlife crime officers say there is also evidence of nests being deliberately destroyed at Saredon Quarry, Shareshill, near Wolverhampton .

But police have now issued a stark warning to thieves to “stay away” or face being caught red handed after a wave of deterrent equipment was installed at he protected site.

Measures include innovative Smartwater pipe bombs which will shower offenders with forensic marking fluid which directly link them to the scene of the crime.

A number of CCTV cameras have also been installed around the site as well as motion sensors after South Staffordshire Police, the quarry manager, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Smartwater joined forces to stamp out the problem.

Continued

Call for tough new laws to protect birds of prey

A NEW survey has revealed that 20 incidents of the poisoning, shooting and trapping of wild birds have been reported in Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

The RSPB has disclosed that its investigation unit had to deal with seven incidents in Staffordshire and 13 in Derbyshire during 2011 involving red kites, barn owls, peregrine falcons, goshawks and other persecuted species.

Fen Gerry, speaking for the RSPB in the Midlands, said: “Among the wildlife crime figures in the Midlands, there were reported incidents of birds of prey persecution, egg collecting incidents, the taking and sale of wild birds and reports of poison and pesticide incidents.


Continued: http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Call-for-tough-new-laws-to-protect-birds-of-prey-05102012.htm