MANY years ago, when I was a lad, the Lake District was probably the only locality in this region where I could be sure of seeing a real live buzzard.

Although I was reared on the North York Moors, the likelihood of seeing a buzzard on our moors or in our dale was as remote as spotting a golden eagle, although on one occasion, I did catch sight of a hen harrier on the hills above Rosedale.

Even now, I can remember the excitement at hearing the familiar cry of the buzzards among the Lakeland hills and woods; the birds sounded just like the loud mewing of a cat. That highly distinctive sound is usually the first indication of a buzzard’s presence and if you wait for only a few moments, the chances are that at least one buzzard, or sometimes a pair, will soar over your head as they quarter the ground for signs of prey.

One of our largest birds, they have an amazing capacity for soaring long distances with barely a movement of their wings as they take full advantage of the thermals and up-draughts and yet they can travel at high speed to be lost over the horizon within a very few seconds.

From ground level, they can be identified by their large size, that familiar mewing sound and the fingered tips of their broad wings as they soar. From below, they might seem nothing more than a silhouette but closer inspection will reveal patches of white on their underparts, with the familiar rich dark brown plumage above, often with their tail feathers spread in a half circle.

The bird described above is sometimes known as the common buzzard or merely buzzard, but there are others.

Rough-legged buzzards may be seen along our coastline while the rarer honey buzzard can sometimes be observed, generally as a migrant.

However, the point of these notes is that common buzzards appear to have widened their field of activity and increased their population in recent years. On quite regular occasions, one or perhaps a pair will soar above our house, usually heralded by that distinctive mewing sound. That gives us time to rush out and see them soaring above, checking the landscape for essential food.

They appear to have taken up residence not far away and although they are smaller than a golden eagle, they are sometimes mistaken for their larger cousin even though golden eagles are rarely seen south of the Scottish borders. One of the main sources of food for buzzards is wild rabbit, although they will take a range of small mammals such as mice and voles as well as young birds.

The buzzard population has risen and fallen over the years, often due to persecution and poisoning but sometimes due to a lack of food such as during the myxomatosis outbreak of some 60 years ago when the rabbit population was decimated.

Now buzzards appear to be increasing, especially in the eastern areas of Britain.

IHAVE been asked if I can throw some light on a fearsome creature known as the Handale Serpent. I did refer to this dragon-like creature some four years ago but like all good stories, it is worthy of repetition.

Handale is a little-known locality between East Loftus and Scaling Reservoir and offers a pleasant walk through the local woodland.

Although it makes few appearances in local travel books, it does boast an interesting history.

The valley of Handale was the site of a priory of Benedictine nuns during the 12th century. Founded in 1133 by Richard de Percy, it was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and owned two tofts, ten acres of land and common pasture for 200 sheep. The priory continued to thrive until the Reformation when it had eight nuns, but when Henry VIII closed the monasteries, this small priory passed into the hands of Ambrose Beckwith.

The last of the Beckwiths sold it to a man called Sanderson of Staithes whose later family may be linked to Captain James Cook, and the site was finally transferred to a family called Stephenson. Today no ruins are visible and a farm stands on the site. There is no village of Handale but the name lives on in the legend of the Handale Serpent or Handale Worm.

One old account refers to this serpent as a ‘loathly worm’ and it was one of several that were said to roam the moors and dales, including the Nunnington Worm, the Sexhow Worm and the Slingsby Serpent, with others further north such as the Lambton Worm, the Sockburn Worm and the Laidley Worm. Worm was an old word which meant a dragon or serpent and among their nasty habits, these creatures were said to breathe fire and eat fair damsels.

Like its counterparts across the country, the Handale Worm exercised an awesome power over fair maidens.

It was able to lure them to its lair where it imprisoned them for several days before feasting upon them.

It was claimed that dozens of lovely young maidens from Loftus, sometimes called Lofthouse, were lured away from home by the serpent and never seen again.

From time to time, the creature was said to leave its lair at Handale to travel into Loftus in search of prey and the story is that it had the power to hypnotise young women with its huge and powerful eyes.

No maiden could resist the power of those eyes and the fearsome reputation of the Worm was such that no local man dare venture into Handale in an attempt to slay the beast. As in all good stories, however, a hero did arrive at Loftus and was concerned about the lack of beautiful maidens. He was quickly told about the Worm and its dastardly deeds and decided to do something about it.

His name was Scaw and he equipped himself with the finest suit of armour and the keenest sword ever to be manufactured, then set off to slay the monster. There is insufficient space here to recount the full drama of the battle but it was no easy task for the brave and fit Scaw. The dragon breathed fire and smoke which heated Scaw’s armour to the point of being unbearable and then the tired Scaw tripped over a branch. As the dragon reared above him with its jaws open to deliver death to Scaw, the brave hero saw his chance – he lunged at the open throat with his sword and severed a blood vessel in the dragon’s neck. It fell dead beside him and he was rightly hailed as a champion.

One of the local woods was named Scaw Wood in his honour, and many years after Handale Priory was destroyed, it was said a stone coffin was found on the site. It bore the carved image of a sword on its lid and it was said to contain Scaw’s mortal remains. Old reports say it remained on view in Handale until about a century ago but its whereabouts are now unknown.