We now come to the question of why the buzzard should appear in such parts of the British Isles as the Eastern Counties, far from its natural habitat. One main cause is that of sudden strong winds. The buzzard, soaring at a great height, suddenly finds itself caught up in a current of air against which it is impossible to battle. A slow, lazy flier, it finds it easier to drift with the wind, and before very long it finds itself in a strange locality. It is tired and there is shelter in the form of a conifer wood.
Food is abundant, too, so it decides to stay for a while.
It soon attracts the attention of the local corvine tribe and is mobbed by rooks and jackdaws. The buzzard may remain for days or weeks in this new territory. If it so happens that its mate has been blown off course along with it, then it is apt to remain for longer. However, a single bird has a yearning to return in search of a mate, particularly in the early part of the year. Buzzards are often mistaken for other large birds of prey in localities where they are not normally seen.