Buzzards above Suffolk

Yesterday, cycling along a small lane, I suddenly heard a loud - and close - sort of coughing call, It sounded a bit like Kehaar the gull in Watership Down. I looked up, and there, on top of the nearest telegraph pole, sat a big, heavy-shouldered bird that for a split second I thought was an owl. I stopped too sharply and it took off and flew slowly above me, repeating the same harsh sound. It went out of view and I continued cycling.

When it appeared again, I decided to make the same call back to it. Amazingly, it hesitated and circled, and paused above me (admittedly quite a long way above, but close enough for me to see the distinct white patches near its "fingers"). I've had considerable success with singing to seals but I hadn't really expected to get any response from a buzzard. After half a minute or so it flew away and I cycled on, but then another one appeared and followed the first.

We saw buzzards above our garden in south Suffolk this summer and have heard it said that there are an increasing number of local sightings, so I'm just hoping we see a pair on Christmas Day.