Rough-legged buzzard? Cottbuser Ostsee (1 Viewer)

[Henry_Flower]

Hi, I am once again asking about a possible rough-legged buzzard in long-distance photos in winter light -- apologies for that! Seen at Cotttbuser Ostsee last Sunday. The bird on the left looks to me to have very long wings, and I'd like to think there's a large white patch on the inner tail. Could I be right?

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Harry,

yes I can understand you. I see some features of a Rough-legged Buzzard:

• long wings and narrow-based tail, vaguely shifting Buzzard silhouette towards a Kite
• white tail with a narrow clear-cut terminal band
• very pale secondaries, contrasting to an evident dark carpal patch

What was your impression or even ID in the field? If you (tentitavely) identified it as a RLB, then these pictures are just good enough to confirm a not so rare bird in your region imo.

But when I have to judge only the pictures (no offense you know), then I am unsure if I can exclude a Common Buzzard (partly because of picture quality with much artefacts, enhancing/shifting fetaures). But maybe Tom and others can?

 

[Henry_Flower]

I'm afraid my only impression at the time was of a couple of buzzards -- it was only looking back through my photos that it struck me as perhaps a more interesting buzzard!

 

[tconzemi]

Single pictures can be very deceptive. I agree with 'ooops, interesting one, worth a second look'
the dark trailing edge can be an artefact, on tail and on wing, even more as the leading edge of wing should be white in RLB

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

I'm afraid my only impression at the time was of a couple of buzzards -- it was only looking back through my photos that it struck me as perhaps a more interesting buzzard!

At larger distances it's the shape and flight that alert me, then I start looking at plumage details, often difficult on our dark winter days. But when they are soaring it's not that obvious.

In general Rough-legged buzzards are not social in their winter area, although they tolerate each other on places with lots of mice.

 

[Henry_Flower]

In general Rough-legged buzzards are not social in their winter area, although they tolerate each other on places with lots of mice.

I can add one thing to what I said before: my impression was of a couple of buzzards tussling, rather than companionably soaring. But they were off behind the treeline in a few seconds.