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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Honey buzzards (1 Viewer)

I don't think that still photos will solve the issue! So I have a 40x optical zoom camcorder at the ready for when they next appear and weather permits.
 
Still photos will definitely solve the issue if they show the overall shape and the underwing and (especially) under tail detail.

If all you have is the camcorder take a couple of screenshots of the best views of the underside and post them.

Mick
 
Please consider that if (and I say if) these birds are Honey Buzzards then you will be exposing an almost certain breeding site based on what you have said above. Rather than post these images on a public forum (if you manage to obtain any) I would urge you to send them to your local county recorder (you can find the contact details on the SOC website). If they are HB's, great, and it goes no further. If they are Common Buzzards, it makes no difference. I wouldn't be posting any results on here if it turns out they are HB's.
 
PAAB said:
Please consider that if (and I say if) these birds are Honey Buzzards then you will be exposing an almost certain breeding site based on what you have said above. Rather than post these images on a public forum (if you manage to obtain any) I would urge you to send them to your local county recorder (you can find the contact details on the SOC website). If they are HB's, great, and it goes no further. If they are Common Buzzards, it makes no difference. I wouldn't be posting any results on here if it turns out they are HB's.
Click to expand...

This is good point, and I for one would be very happy to subordinate my curiosity in the interest of the birds. Please do as PAAB suggests.
Mick.
 
Understood!
I have to say that we heard them last year as well, and they did seem to be pretty static, somewhere at the top of the crags.
 
We will leave it to you and the local recorder, but I very much doubt the calls will be any use at all in differentiation. You will need a few photos, ideally of the underside, of each bird. This would confirm HB vs CB and also confirm at least one adult male and female, and perhaps even a juvenile.

This would be an important event so it is worth the effort!

Good luck
Mick.
 
Wet my lips said:
It looks like you were probably right all along, despite the comments. See McInerny, Rossiter, etc.
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I'm just going to jump in here and wish you a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum (y)
We're glad you found us and please join in wherever you like ;)
 
dwatsonbirder said:
Really? Here is a photograph of a "Juvenile Black Kite" from (apparently first breeding record?) in Northumberland last year by one of the above "authorities"...

View attachment 1428312
Click to expand...
Then I refer you to the excellent survey work done by the aforementioned Chris McInerny:


The call of the Honey Buzzard has a haunting, Golden Plover like quality and is quite different to that of Common Buzzard. In the late 80's, a couple of birding friends and myself located two Honey Buzzards by call at Lynn Point, Kings Lynn, Norfolk in May. They were possibly birds from the nearby Sandringham estate.

There have been odd records in Argyll to the west of the 'Central West' region with a sick Honey Buzzard picked up from a road alongside Loch Awe. It sadly died later in care. Hopefully a small breeding community can be found as there is very suitable habitat across Argyll.
 
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Wet my lips said:
Then I refer you to the excellent survey work done by the aforementioned Chris McInerny:


The call of the Honey Buzzard has a haunting, Golden Plover like quality and is quite different to that of Common Buzzard. In the late 80's, a couple of birding friends and myself located two Honey Buzzards by call at Lynn Point, Kings Lynn, Norfolk in May. They were possibly birds from the nearby Sandringham estate.

There have been odd records in Argyll to the west of the 'Central West' region with a sick Honey Buzzard picked up from a road alongside Loch Awe. It sadly died later in care. Hopefully a small breeding community can be found as there is very suitable habitat across Argyll.
Click to expand...
Excellent and informative paper, thanks for the link. (y)
It seems likely that the species is perhaps more widely distributed given the amount of remote and relatively poorly watched habitat across the UK - I've encountered the species away from known sites when conducting surveys in Wales for example, but it seems highly unlikely that the population is anywhere near the figures quoted by NR.
 
Wet my lips said:
Then I refer you to the excellent survey work done by the aforementioned Chris McInerny:


The call of the Honey Buzzard has a haunting, Golden Plover like quality and is quite different to that of Common Buzzard. In the late 80's, a couple of birding friends and myself located two Honey Buzzards by call at Lynn Point, Kings Lynn, Norfolk in May. They were possibly birds from the nearby Sandringham estate.

There have been odd records in Argyll to the west of the 'Central West' region with a sick Honey Buzzard picked up from a road alongside Loch Awe. It sadly died later in care. Hopefully a small breeding community can be found as there is very suitable habitat across Argyll.
Click to expand...
Latitude of 56N in Scotland in itself should not be a problem, for its breeding distribution in above 66N in Sweden, Finland and western Russia!
MJB
 
Wet my lips said:
Then I refer you to the excellent survey work done by the aforementioned Chris McInerny:


The call of the Honey Buzzard has a haunting, Golden Plover like quality and is quite different to that of Common Buzzard. In the late 80's, a couple of birding friends and myself located two Honey Buzzards by call at Lynn Point, Kings Lynn, Norfolk in May. They were possibly birds from the nearby Sandringham estate.

There have been odd records in Argyll to the west of the 'Central West' region with a sick Honey Buzzard picked up from a road alongside Loch Awe. It sadly died later in care. Hopefully a small breeding community can be found as there is very suitable habitat across Argyll.
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting, the mentions of distribution even down my way is quite intriguing. I've not met McInerney but I posted his paper about the Botanic Gardens recently.
 
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