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Honey Buzzards (1 Viewer)

Does anyone know whether there has been a significant change, increase or decrease, in the UK Honey population in the last, say, fifty years??
Russ
More or less steady, from RBBP totals. I'd suspect they're suffering from the decline in wasp populations (in common with the general decline in insect numbers), but conversely benefit from reduced gamekeeper persecution by 'hiding' in the increased Buzzard population.
 
Did try uploading photos but wont work. Just wanted to ask without naming places. Have people noticed an increase in Honey Buzzards this year?
On holidays in North Wales and have already seen four different birds at different places.
Friends tell me that also in South Wales there are many more than has been the case in recent years.
Hopefully it is the same around the country

I'd kindly suggest that if you saw four Honey Buzzards at four different site, you didn't see any!

Breeding population in UK has remained stable for many years, so a sudden increase is unlikely, and whilst Wales has a couple of pairs, the volume and density at which you saw them is so unlikely as to make it most likely an error.

Happy to be proven wrong, if you have any images?
 
There are indeed a couple of photos of HB’s from previous years.

It would be nice to see the current ones the location can be vague - North Wales will do...

I echo the sentiment of needless tagging that will yield pointless info and put stress on birds. Some of thes people think they have a right to interfere with stuff and for a species that still appears to be common in its core range and migrates in truly astonishing numbers recorded at key locations any info, as far as the welfare of the species is concerned, will be of little if any use imho and serves the interests of those involved...

It must be something in the water because there is a group of ringers in mid-Wales led by some sort of obsessive guru that seem hell bent on ringing anything that moves and has no shortage of acolytes and sycophants that are willing to undergo ‘processing’ (you know who you are).

Posession of a ringing license does not give people carte-blanche to do what they wish with creatures that do not belong to them indeed they do not belong to anybody:C

Laurie:t:
 
The OP has previously posted photos of HBs back in 2013 captioned as taken in Wales.

Yes, although his ID was cautious and one Common Buzzard had crept in. I now additionally don't understand how he could upload photos then but not now. Reprising that conversation also re-emphasised reasons not to be at all precise about location.

John
 
The OP has previously posted photos of HBs back in 2013 captioned as taken in Wales.

That thread also proves that even with photographs, some people still identify Common Buzzards as Honey-buzzards (a number of people claiming image 2 as a HB, but it is clearly a Common Buzzard!).
 
Thanks for the comments. I'm more than happy with what I've seen. Maybe you doubters can check up with the rare birds breeding panel at the end of the season. They should at least be able to confirm that there are a number of Honeys in Wales this year. As for the ringer I'm mid Wales he also put a transmitter on one Honey in North Wales it returned next season then died as did the one from South Wales.
I really don't give a toss wether you believe me or not just par for the course from you arm chair critics. Get out and look . There's an advertised spot in S Wales get your egos and cameras there then come back and post your pics. If you can't see them there stick to migration routes where you can't miss them lol
 
Thanks for the comments. I'm more than happy with what I've seen. Maybe you doubters can check up with the rare birds breeding panel at the end of the season. They should at least be able to confirm that there are a number of Honeys in Wales this year. As for the ringer I'm mid Wales he also put a transmitter on one Honey in North Wales it returned next season then died as did the one from South Wales.
I really don't give a toss wether you believe me or not just par for the course from you arm chair critics. Get out and look . There's an advertised spot in S Wales get your egos and cameras there then come back and post your pics. If you can't see them there stick to migration routes where you can't miss them lol

Whilst I can readily understand your annoyance that others are doubting your report, given the history of misidentifications of HB (even by those representing themselves as experts) and the species' elusiveness I can also understand why some posters are, perhaps unfairly, doubtful. The best remedy & riposte would be to find a way of posting the images you mention. If you can't post them here yourself I'm sure you should be able to email them to people who could try to do so for you.
 
Leakey,
There's really no need for your last post to be so belligerent is there? Your commencement of the thread drew attention and others, including me, commented. I'm pleased to know that HBs are about and breeding anywhere in the UK and good luck to those fortunate enough to observe them and help monitor and conserve their habitat.
Thanks and do try to share your photos if possible.
 
Thanks for the comments. I'm more than happy with what I've seen. Maybe you doubters can check up with the rare birds breeding panel at the end of the season. They should at least be able to confirm that there are a number of Honeys in Wales this year. As for the ringer I'm mid Wales he also put a transmitter on one Honey in North Wales it returned next season then died as did the one from South Wales.
I really don't give a toss wether you believe me or not just par for the course from you arm chair critics. Get out and look . There's an advertised spot in S Wales get your egos and cameras there then come back and post your pics. If you can't see them there stick to migration routes where you can't miss them lol

What a ridiculous response! This has the usual knee-jerk haul-marks of someone who doesn't actually know what they've seen!

As for checking the RBBP report. What will that prove! for every pair of HB's breeding in Wales, there are probably 2,000-3,000+ pairs of Common Buzzards, so this evidences nothing!

You have previously posted photos of Common Buzzard and asked for clarification on ID (which was provided by these 'arm chair critics'), so its not unreasonable for people to question the ID further.

The simplest thing would be to have the photos posted on this thread (unless you have realised now they don't support your original post?) ;)
 
Image 2 from 2013 looks like a HB, as stated by Biancone and Tideliner. HBs are present in parts of Wales in very low numbers, I've had some of my best ever views of them here.
 
Healthily sceptical would be how i describe it and critics on here will be familiar with Honey Buzzards - i have spent 4 trips at Tarifa and last Autumn at Batumi where i have seen a ‘few’ to say the least;) About the only thing that remains unringed in mid-Wales is a certain ringer’s neck imo:eek!:

Good birding -

Laurie:t:
 
Healthily sceptical would be how i describe it and critics on here will be familiar with Honey Buzzards - i have spent 4 trips at Tarifa and last Autumn at Batumi where i have seen a ‘few’ to say the least;) About the only thing that remains unringed in mid-Wales is a certain ringer’s neck imo:eek!:

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

Oh no! Not another thread wringing the life out of English language verbs:eek!:
 
Image 2 from 2013 looks like a HB, as stated by Biancone and Tideliner. HBs are present in parts of Wales in very low numbers, I've had some of my best ever views of them here.

Are you sure about image 2? ;)

I'm not saying HB's are not found in Wales (I'm an avid reader of the RBBP report, for example). But to suggest that because they appear in that report is some form of evidence to support an individual sighting (in an area where the commoner species is, erm, more common) is, frankly, laughable!

Surely the best evidence would be the photos.... which the original poster now seems to have given-up trying to post.....
 
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Sounds like there was some mud slinging over this thread during the last few days (and posts have now been deleted)..... but still no photos....

How strange!
 
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