Monday, 2 February 2015

Honey Buzzards

Adult male. Total counted 662,600!


Adult male. I don't always find them easy to sex as the primary/secondary and tail barring is very variable.



A stream of Honey Buzzards over Station 1


Honey Buzzards streaming off from a kettle.


I have this down as a female on the basis of it's brown head and indistinct primary tips and trailing edge but I'm not 100%. The primaries and secondaries are not that well marked for a female although the outer line seems to run closer to the trailing edge than the wing coverts. Structurally very similar to the male below.

Adult male.


Adult male. Perfect.


Adult female?

Adult female


Adult male


Adult male

Adult male landing at Station 2 during light rain. One minute they are migrating over high the next they are landing on bushes all around you.

Adult male



Adult male

Adult female. Big heavy individual.



Adult male




Black Kite top middle.



Female or male? Brown primaries and dull trailing edge like female. Barring in primaries and secondaries not very extensive and secondary line like a male?




Adult male with gun shot damage. Broken primaries are hanging down from wings.




Adult male

Adult female. This bird shows barring in secondaries and primaries similar to Crested Honey Buzzard.Two secondary lines easily join the body.


Adult male

Male or female?. Dull trailing edge and primaries and indistinct secondary line.


Adult male



Adult female




Honey Buzzards over Little Ginger










Adult male



Adult male


A very odd Honey Buzzard.


Shot male Honey Buzzard

Adult male

Adult male


Adult female


Adults resting on a Sweet Chestnut tree at Station 2



All Juvenile Honey Buzzards below.



A very white juvenile showing almost unmarked carpals


With a 2CY Black Kite










White and black individuals showing the two extreme's.


Juvenile in heavy rain at Station 2




The juveniles are a very odd looking bird.



A very moth eaten juvenile at Station 2. A mite/lice infestation?




A beautiful juvenile passing Station 1