About the project

 

This is a partnership project between Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Forestry Commission Wales and Wales Raptor Study Group. The scheme offers a unique opportunity to view on-screen images from a honey buzzard nest in south Wales. Visitors can observe the development of the young chicks including intimate moments of feeding and behaviour. A display area of photographs and information complements the viewing opportunity. Informative and friendly volunteers are on-site daily to engage with the public about the scheme and the birds. There is no opportunity for viewing the honey buzzards in their habitat and we are keeping the location of the nest site confidential in order to protect the birds.

© Steve Roberts

Project details: the nest situation

The 2007 Season On the 11th May the male Honey Buzzard appeared and began to refurbish the nest with fresh conifer twigs. On the 22nd May the female joined her mate and the next building continued. This is the first time the start of nest building of a Honey Buzzard has been witnessed in the UK. A live video feed of the 2007 nest began on the 20th June. 29th June - first chick hatches 2nd July - second chick hatches 9th July - both chicks doing well, the eldest is already beginning to lose its infant 'fluffy-white' appearance. 17th July - The two chicks can now feed themselves, taking larvae from the wasp nests the parents bring in. One chick is much bigger than the other, about twice the size. 27th July - The chicks have been ringed for monitoring purposes so you may see a blue ring on their legs. They both have their adult feathers growing now. 'The chicks flew the nest in the middle of August.  They will have started their migration to Africa in early September.

The 2006 Season The female laid two eggs in June. The chicks hatched on or around the 11th July . In order to avoid disturbance to the nest filming did not commence until the chicks were about 10 days old. Both adults are bringing wasps nests and frogs to the chicks who are growing very well. 20th July - One chick is growing faster than the other, but the adults ensure that both get food. 1st August - Chicks are starting to grow flight feathers. They can now feed themselves. The adults are leaving frogs and wasp nests for them. 15th August - Having successfully grown the majority of their flight feathers, both chicks are becoming more adventurous, hopping out of the nest to nearby branches. They come back to feed in the nest and rest occasionally. 21st August - The young birds are spending more and more time out of the nest. 6th September - The young have successfully flown the nest.

The 2005 Season The project was successfully launched on Friday 15 July, 2005 at Afan Forest Park visitor centre in the Afan valley in Port Talbot. It saw hundreds of visitors and generated excitement and local support. The female laid two eggs in June. A first chick hatched on the night of Monday 4 July / early morning of Tuesday 5 July, but was sadly blown off the nest in high winds. A second chick hatched on Thurs 7 July, growing healthily and we were able to show wonderful images of the female bringing in wasp nests and frogs to feed the youngster. Throughout the entire duration of the project in 2005, the male honey buzzard was not been seen at the nest site. Sadly, the remaining chick was predated by a goshawk. The fact that rare and scarce birds are predated upon by raptors, including goshawks, is well documented. Although it is sad that the honey buzzard lost the remaining chick to a goshawk, it is unlikely to have had a significant effect on the honey buzzard population in Wales. In general, honey buzzard productivity in Wales, since the first nest was discovered in 1991, has been very good. There are probably well over 400 goshawk pairs in Wales now (the actual number is unknown as there has been no complete survey). They are very effective predators and take a wide range of prey, including grey squirrels, but principally they take bird species such as carrion crows and wood pigeons.

Contact
Darroch Lyon, FC Wales
Tel: 0845 604 0845
Email: darroch.lyon@forestry.gsi.gov.uk