Mislukt grondbroedsel van Buizerd Buteo buteo bij Aldeboarn (Friesland)

On 13 April 2000, a ground nest with three incubated eggs of a Common Buzzard was found in the open grasslands on clay in central Frisia. This pair had been treenesting in a garden in 1997 and 1998 (raising 2 and 3 nestlings respectively) 900 m away from the ground-nest (nest taken over by another pair in 1999), then shifted to a tree-nest in a woodlot of 1 ha in 1999 (raising > 1 young). This nest was occupied by a Long-eared Owl in 2000. Alternative nesting sites in this open grassland region are very scarce, possibly the reason to build a nest on the ground near low willow scrub. The nest was deserted by 17 April. Another case of ground-nesting in open farmland in the same province was recorded in 1999 (De Takkeling 7: 209-211).