Pedroinspain
Active member
Eastern Masai Mara (Kenya) on 13 November. Small copses in rocky 'kopje' terrain set in a small valley in surrounding savannah. When I first saw the bird I immediately thought - 'buzzard', from the size, robust shape and the 'necklace'. By a fellow-traveller suggested a female Montagu's harrier. Once home I opted for a female Long-legged Buzzard, based on the size, shape, yellow cere and legs, grey face, variable and contrasting throat-breast-belly pattern; scalloped (pale outlined) upper secondaries, dark wing-tips, streaked forehead But a few aspects were not quite right.
1) Where were the long legs? Well, it was early morning and quite cool, so maybe being puffed up would explain the hiding of the limbs. But that might also explain the bulkiness.
2) Of most concern were the dark under-tail coverts with only a very narrow white terminal band. The pictures of the pale (light) morph all show very pale undertail coverts.
3) From Google images, quite such a white belly/vent seems unusual.
4) What perhaps concerned me most was that the Ebird map failed to report any sightings in Masai Mara, and that Avibase lists it as rare/accidental.
Augur buzzard and Grasshopper -nope.
Eurasian buzzard - maybe, but grey weakly streaked 'cheeks'?; dark undertail on a pale morph?; white belly/vent?; two-toned wings with vivid secondary 'scallops'?; chestnut rear eyestripe?
Back to Montagu's harrier. Where is the pale face; the vivid wing pattern, the dark 'ear'?
My head was spinning so I sought advice on birdforum
1) Where were the long legs? Well, it was early morning and quite cool, so maybe being puffed up would explain the hiding of the limbs. But that might also explain the bulkiness.
2) Of most concern were the dark under-tail coverts with only a very narrow white terminal band. The pictures of the pale (light) morph all show very pale undertail coverts.
3) From Google images, quite such a white belly/vent seems unusual.
4) What perhaps concerned me most was that the Ebird map failed to report any sightings in Masai Mara, and that Avibase lists it as rare/accidental.
Augur buzzard and Grasshopper -nope.
Eurasian buzzard - maybe, but grey weakly streaked 'cheeks'?; dark undertail on a pale morph?; white belly/vent?; two-toned wings with vivid secondary 'scallops'?; chestnut rear eyestripe?
Back to Montagu's harrier. Where is the pale face; the vivid wing pattern, the dark 'ear'?
My head was spinning so I sought advice on birdforum
