Buzzards in the skies

When I was growing up as a young bird in Clare in the 1970's and 80's, Buzzards extremely rare. I recall on more than one occasion once I was on the road and driving in my late teens, travelling all the way up to the Mourne Mountains in county Down to see Buzzards. This and the main road to Belfast were few of the places on the island of Ireland where one was guaranteed to see Buzzard in the early 1980's.  Now of course they are a common bird of prey throughout the country with up to 30 pairs nesting in Clare every year. I still hold a fondness for them and any day I see one I'm reminded of how rare they were in the not so distant past.

Buzzards John N Murphy