Richard Austin’s Animal Magic

WHATEVER was wrong with this buzzard was still unknown when he eventually flew off. I noticed the bird flapping around on the edge of a field, it was strange enough to see a buzzard acting in such a weird way so I stopped the car to investigate.

I came within a few feet and this in itself told me that there was something drastically wrong with the bird. As I held out a hand to see his reaction he went for me making threatening noises, talons and a sharp beak indicating ‘back off.’

Then, instantly and with no trouble at all, he took off and flew up into a large oak tree and there I left him preening himself. Without doubt it was the closest the bird had ever been to a human and myself to a wild buzzard. The mystery still remains.