32 WILD LIFE IN THE TREE TOPS 



It is common knowledge that the males of our smaller hawks carefully 

 pluck the bodies of any birds they may secure before carrying them to the 

 nest ; but it may not be generally known that the Buzzard, obeying the same 

 instinct, prepares his rabbit food in the same way. 



Whilst I was examining these trophies on the nest, the male Buzzard arrived 

 with yet another young rabbit hanging from his talons ! On seeing me, how- 

 ever, he turned aside, dropped the rabbit and later joined his mate as she 

 circled and mewed in the sky. 



The nest turned out to be rather unsatisfactory from the photographic 

 point of view, the only possible tree in which the camera could be fixed being 

 too far away. However, there was nothing for it but to make the best of 

 things, and an ' imitation camera,' consisting of a bundle of ferns tied up 

 with string was accordingly placed in position in the neighbouring tree at a 

 point overlooking the nest. 



And having completed these preliminaries, we quietly withdrew. 



In two days' time, another visit was paid to the Buzzards' tree ; this 

 time with the idea of constructing a hiding-place into which a string from the 

 camera could be run, and which might be pulled in order to release the shutter 

 at the psychological moment. 



As we drew near to the trees one of the Buzzards the female, in all proba- 

 bility flew up from the ground under the nest, and dropped a young rabbit 

 which was quite warm. As we worked on the hiding-place we heard both of 

 them mewing, and saw them soaring above us and doubtless watching every 

 movement ! at an immense height. 



That same evening another visit was paid to the Buzzards, and this time, 

 by creeping along behind a beech hedge we got quite close to the trees without 

 ourselves being seen. 



The female was on the nest, and through the glasses we could see that 

 she was lying on the side of the nest by the young ones, very much in the same 

 way as the female Rook did when the young were too large for her to brood. 



Presently, from the direction of the moors, we saw the male coming in 

 with another ill-fated young rabbit about half-grown hanging from his 

 talons. Somehow it reminded me of an old print which impressed me very 

 deeply years ago, and which portrayed an owl flying along with a live stoat 

 hanging by the teeth from its throat. 



The male Buzzard meanwhile continued towards his home tree, and when 

 he drew near, planed down to within some ten feet of the ground, and then on 

 outstretched wings, suddenly swung upwards and on to his nest. On his 

 arrival the female stood up, but seemed in no hurry to relieve him of his catch ; 

 nor did she object to his tearing some small pieces from the rabbit which he 

 had brought, and delivering them to one of the not too eager young ones. 



Anxious no doubt that the larder should be plentifully stocked, the male 



