Honey Buzzards (1 Viewer)

Leakey · Jul 22, 2019

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

rollingthunder · Jul 22, 2019

I would be circumspect with these extra-limital records - Common Buzzard is probably the most mis-identified large bird in the UK. Most birders i know don’t even try to age them...

Laurie:t:

Barred Wobbler · Jul 22, 2019

I would go as far as to say that if you're not sure if it's a honey buzzard, it isn't one.

If you think it might be one, it probably isn't.

I'll be off again next month to a place where they outnumber the common variety by over a hundred to one.

Farnboro John · Jul 22, 2019

Barred Wobbler said:
I'll be off again next month to a place where they outnumber the common variety by over a hundred to one.

That's Northumberland, isn't it? 3

If the OP is having trouble uploading pictures, he probably needs to resize them to what BF allows: 1200 pixels longest side is ideal at least for my monitor.

It would be nice to be able to offer a definite opinion on them, though we all know there are an awful lot of Buzzards in Wales.....

John

Sangahyando · Jul 22, 2019

Barred Wobbler said:
I would go as far as to say that if you're not sure if it's a honey buzzard, it isn't one.

If you think it might be one, it probably isn't.

I don't think it's that easy. It depends on the distance, duration of the observation, experience of the observer, and other environmental factors. Of course, that includes location.

rollingthunder · Jul 22, 2019

I agree:t:

Nice shots - where are you off to?

I am returning to Batumi in mid-Sept, had a great time in a very welcoming country last year...

Laurie -

Barred Wobbler · Jul 22, 2019

Not as good as Batumi, I'm afraid, but good enough. Strait of Gibraltar.

Been going since 2001 in autumn, with a couple of spring trips thrown in for good measure.

rollingthunder · Jul 23, 2019

I have done 5 consecutive Septembers to the Straits spending a week mooching as far as Cadiz, Seville, Jerez, Bolonia and Ronda with a week just based at Tarifa walking out to the adjaceant hills. We decided to have a break llast September with a couple of weeks in Georgia including 10 days at Batumi. Enjoyed it so much we go again with Wizz Air:t:

Good birding -

Laurie -

Barred Wobbler · Jul 23, 2019

Thanks. It's become a regular event. We stay for three weeks in a farmhouse 10 minutes from the Algarrobo watchpoint. Depending on the wind, we'll go there or Cazalla, but if the conditions aren't right I'm flexible - La Janda, Bonanza, Serrania de Ronda, anywhere that takes my fancy.

A drawing I did last autumn. A short-toed eagle taking leave of the Spanish coast at Punta Comorro with the Moroccan Coast and Jebel Musa in the distance.

Leakey · Jul 24, 2019

If you know the right places in UK they are here. As for id them I actually find them quiet easy. Major differences in shape from Common Buzzard tbh.
Just seems quite a few more around Wales

Leakey · Jul 24, 2019

Barred Wobbler said:
I would go as far as to say that if you're not sure if it's a honey buzzard, it isn't one.

If you think it might be one, it probably isn't.

I'll be off again next month to a place where they outnumber the common variety by over a hundred to one.

Yep they are Honeys😆 Very nice phots

Leakey · Jul 24, 2019

Sangahyando said:
I don't think it's that easy. It depends on the distance, duration of the observation, experience of the observer, and other environmental factors. Of course, that includes location.

In the Uk there are fewer raptors to confuse them with. Lucky enough to know for some regularish sites.

rollingthunder · Jul 24, 2019

Do please enlighten as to the areas, in Wales, where you are seeing the local ‘hotspot’ Honeys - you don’t have to be site specific just 10k x 10k plots will do as the are easy to ID even at distance.....

Laurie:t:

Nutcracker · Jul 24, 2019

rollingthunder said:
Do please enlighten as to the areas, in Wales, where you are seeing the local ‘hotspot’ Honeys - you don’t have to be site specific just 10k x 10k plots will do as the are easy to ID even at distance.....

Laurie:t:

Even at 10 x 10 km squares, the locations are confidential. BTO map them by 50 x 50 km squares.

rollingthunder · Jul 25, 2019

I was just offering some bait, i am not really bothered - even in those places where they actually are

Laurie:t:

Farnboro John · Jul 25, 2019

I'd still like to see the photos: uploading isn't really all that difficult, nor is resizing to enable it. Then we might have something to discuss.

John

rollingthunder · Jul 26, 2019

Perhaps the Welsh ones are using the hot air provided by the Welsh observer ‘in the know’

Laurie:t:

John Cantelo · Jul 26, 2019

Barred Wobbler said:
Not as good as Batumi, I'm afraid, but good enough. Strait of Gibraltar.

Been going since 2001 in autumn, with a couple of spring trips thrown in for good measure.

Hope to see you there! With regard to HB identification, I can think of few species where a little experience makes so much difference.

rollingthunder · Jul 26, 2019

I’ve cancelled my flight to Batumi:eek!: - i’m off to Wales

Laurie:t:

tarsigercyanurus · Jul 26, 2019

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

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