Broedgeval(len) van de Wespendief Pernis apivorus in de duinen bij Castricum in 2015

In the dunes between Camperduin and Wijk aan Zee Honey Buzzards apparently prefer to breed in coniferous forests with low numbers of successful Goshawks Accipiter gentilis, a raptor species that poses a serious threat to young and adult Honey Buzzards. In 2005-14, Honey Buzzards only raised chicks successfully in 2008, 2009 and 2011, when just a single pair of Goshawks succeeded in fledging chicks. In the remaining years, two (in 5 years) or three (in 2 years) Goshawk pairs were successfully breeding in this area. In 2015, however, two successful breeding attempts of the Goshawk coincided with one, probably two, Honey Buzzard pairs successfully breeding in the same area. Local wasp numbers were high, which may have improved the chances of raising chicks to fledging.