Biancone
to err is human
Some of the Honey Buzzards I've been seeing lately (northern Appennines, Italy) have looked in many ways like the usual field guide illustrations, but in some cases (I think at least three individuals) the underwing shows a dark section in the angle of 'hand' and 'arm'. It's hard to define the area while the bird is in flight, but I think it corresponds to the first few secondaries. These also look noticeably shorter than the rest of the secondaries, which give the wing a bulging appearance. A couple of birds have shown a second dark/short section in the secondaries nearer the body.
I don't have any reference source for moult pattern at hand, but I wonder if these are likely to be some remaining first-plumage feathers? And does this suggest anything about possible age of the birds?
Something I'd not noticed until recently is that strong backlighting seems to have an effect on what the observer sees in HB wings (never noticed similar in CBs), increasing their 'patchiness', so that the pale areas look almost transparent while the feathers with more pigment (the ones I'm thinking may be juvenile) look even more dark. I've got one very poor photo taken with a pocket 'travel' camera, but I'll avoid embarrassment because I've got no card reader with me.
Any thoughts welcome.
I don't have any reference source for moult pattern at hand, but I wonder if these are likely to be some remaining first-plumage feathers? And does this suggest anything about possible age of the birds?
Something I'd not noticed until recently is that strong backlighting seems to have an effect on what the observer sees in HB wings (never noticed similar in CBs), increasing their 'patchiness', so that the pale areas look almost transparent while the feathers with more pigment (the ones I'm thinking may be juvenile) look even more dark. I've got one very poor photo taken with a pocket 'travel' camera, but I'll avoid embarrassment because I've got no card reader with me.
Any thoughts welcome.