An unusual Encounter

I had spent most of the week at Rowen and on the Friday the cloud was blowing in off of the coast and the mountain tops were covered by wisps of cloud blowing across.

Throughout the week I had seen many Buzzards gliding on the rising warm air, often in pairs. On my previous walk up this way earlier in the week I had seen a pair of Buzzards being mobbed by a pair of crows. In the rocks there were many crows.

I had stopped and made a sketch of a stone chat as it flew between branch and rock chanting its chat chat continually making me wonder if it was guarding a nest.

I followed paths often mistaking sheep tracks to St Celynin Church, a small 12 century chapel which I remembered often visiting on walks from Penmaenmawr. Today I was following a route from the youth hostel and was planning to head towards Conwy. This route followed a lane which wound its way down between stone boundary walls and thick woodland. I was making good progress and was some what mesmerised by the heat, the setting and was only quite distantly aware of the sound of bird making quite a commotion in the trees above me.

I thought nothing more of it!

I was planning to walk around the far side of the river Conwy and back to Rowen. It was to be long walk!

I was totally unaware that the screeching bird(s) above were showing concern at my presence .... until quite suddenly as I was walking through quite an enclosed area of woodland I had a thump on the back of my head, which thankfully was protected by my leather hat! Momentarily I was stunned ... what ever was it .... then I saw a bird a little ahead of me flying at my height as it flew up onto a branch above. At first glance it looked like an owl.

as I investigated and taking photos with my camera, I became aware of the birds quite massive talons.

...... it was quite obvious the bird had not got the result it had hoped for and it circled in round quite close again .... I believe my saving grace was the fact that the lane was so enclosed by trees that instead of swiping me for a second time the bird perched again on another branch.

I quickly got another couple of shots but realised this bird was really not happy at my presence and quickly descended down the lane warily looking out for anymore low flying birds!

Once at a safe distance I made a quick sketch of my close encounter!

This is a view looking back up the lane and to the upland location of the old church. In those trees I had an encountered quite an unusual with a bird of prey, quite poignant when one has regularly demonstrated the stoop of the peregrine to visitors to the RSPB project in Cardiff.

The following day I returned to the location with my friend Rob and there was little sign of the birds initially, however after a short time the two birds were circling above the trees. Even with the birds just circling i was keen to make an exit, which Rob noted with some surprise!! There was no commotion as the day before. I can only assume the previous day, the bird had seen me descending from way back at the old church and by the time I reached the area of the trees where the buzzard probably had its nest or where a chick was fledging. Therefore, it was threatened and defending its young went into action, catching me totally unaware!

The high trees .... probably the site of the Buzzards nest, which accounts for the aggressive nature of the bird.

Since returning home I have researched similar incidents on the Internet to find there were several reported incidents in 2009 where the Buzzard had actually caused loss of blood and in several occasions made more than one attack on the Innocent passerby. Newspaper reports also suggest that Buzzards have been known to attack cyclists, wearing helmets in a similar way, and will even do damage to car aerials as they pass!

I sensed I had been fortunate to have been able to see the funny side of the encounter with the bird and have made painted a self portrait to record the event!

Self Portrait: Clive quite unaware of approaching Buzzard.