Large Buzzard? I.D Dorset (1 Viewer)

[rowly]

hi,
i was taking pictures yesterday when i spotted a bird of prey in the distance, it looked like a buzzard but appeared to be noticably larger. I took some shots but because of the distance they aren't great. The bird has a white tail from above and appears very pale below.I know buzzards can vary considerably but it just didn't seem right. Any ideas?

 

[shepshed]

Hi
Possibly a Sea or White-Tailed Eagle. They will pass through Dorset from Africa to Scotland.

 

[eagle33]

Golden eagle,sub adult? Correction Common buzzard

 

[teamsaint]

this is a common buzzard buteo buteo

 

[Mole1]

Hi
Possibly a Sea or White-Tailed Eagle. They will pass through Dorset from Africa to Scotland.

This statement is not true as the Scottish population do not migrate (and they don't migrate to Africa either). Very rarely will a bird be seen in Dorset (there was one in the winter in nearby Hampshire).

The bird in the photos is a Common Buzzard. The second picture shows the distinctive underparts well (although birds show extreme variability). Size can be difficult to assess as birds can be closer than they seem to be in flight - I have certainly been caught out.

Regards

Mole

 

[eagle33]

this is a common buzzard buteo buteo

I think teamsaint is correct just the angle of the bird in pic one, didnt look at pic 2.

 

[Alan G]

Wrong shape for WT or Golden Eagle.

Looks like Buzzard sp to me - pale(ish) Common probably.

 

[DaveN]

The second picture gives the game away for me....Common Buzzard.

 

[teamsaint]

This statement is not true as the Scottish population do not migrate (and they don't migrate to Africa either). Very rarely will a bird be seen in Dorset (there was one in the winter in nearby Hampshire).

I think shepshed may have been confused with an Osprey. In the autumn up to 4 Ospreys usually linger around Poole Harbour. At this time of year however it would be unlikely to see an Osprey in Dorset and extremely unlikely to see an Eagle of any sort.

 

[Selsey Birder]

Both pictures clearly show a buzzard species, the tail is a red herring so to speak. I wholly agree with teamsaint it is a Common Buzzard

 

[steffi penny]

Just how variable are buzzards? I used to live near Stathe in Somerset and saw what I thought was a buzzard [spring early summer last year] but its wing span coverd most of the lane [bigger than car width but not two]. We live in a field, near woods [nearest neighbour 1/2 mile] and often see what I think are big buzzards above and in the trees. A local farmer said their were 'honey' buzzardsa around, can you tell me how I tell from a distance without a good birder with me?

 

[James Lowther]

I think shepshed may have been confused with an Osprey. In the autumn up to 4 Ospreys usually linger around Poole Harbour. At this time of year however it would be unlikely to see an Osprey in Dorset and extremely unlikely to see an Eagle of any sort.

osprey reported from poole harbour a couple of days back
plus a large eagle sp. seen in the same area a few days before the hants bird earlier this year

none of which has any bearing whatsoever on the bird in question, which as pretty much everyone else has said already, is a common buzzard

 

[rowly]

thanks everyone for your answers,i agree it certainly seemed like a buzzard, i just had enough doubt to make it worth checking.

 

[Doggerel]

Just to throw in a suggestion, the pale tail/dark wings made me think rough legged rather than common buzzard, although what one would be doing in Dorset in July I have no idea. Would explain why it looked larger than a common as well.

 

[Binocularface]

Just to throw in a suggestion, the pale tail/dark wings made me think rough legged rather than common buzzard, although what one would be doing in Dorset in July I have no idea. Would explain why it looked larger than a common as well.

I would expect the tail band to be better defined in Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) than on this bird, also the wing-shape does not seem to fit for this species. My vote goes to Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

 

[BobTag]

Just to throw in a suggestion, the pale tail/dark wings made me think rough legged rather than common buzzard, although what one would be doing in Dorset in July I have no idea. Would explain why it looked larger than a common as well.

This is a perfectly normal Common Buzzard.

 

[Doggerel]

So sorry

"This is a perfectly normal Common Buzzard"

Well excuse me Bobtag, I must have missed the part of the forum rules that forbids expressing any opinion that differs from yours.

I agree that common seems more likely, but, having enlarged the pics (hope you don't mind Rowly) there were still some features that made me wonder. Personally I've never seen a perfectly normal CB with a white tail but no white on the wings. Admittedly the tail band is indistinct but there does appear to be one. Rowly describes it as being very pale below, but the carpal patches seem very dark in comparison to the underwing coverts, unusual for pale common buzzard IMHO.

However I'm obviously just being stupid and I apologise for wasting your valuable time.

Steve

 

[skbirder]

Doggerel, don't be deterred. You're very welcome to post queries and wonderings without being shouted down - thats the whole point of the forum. As for your bird, it is indeed a Common Buzzard. The variation in plumage is huge. Here in Scandinavia I often see CBs with whitish tail bases, specially on the upperside. The carpal patches are fine - some CBs have even more prominent ones. All in all your bird is a quite normal specimen of Common Buzzard.

 

[Doggerel]

Thanks skbirder, I wasn't really arguing that it wasn't a CB just that it has some features that make it appear to differ from the "norm", for this area at least.

 

[BobTag]

Well excuse me Bobtag, I must have missed the part of the forum rules that forbids expressing any opinion that differs from yours.

I'll have to dig the link out for you

Take it easy Steve.

BT