Friday 16 November 2012

Raptors etc

A least one waxwing was flying around Glanton calling at first light this morning.

A probable rough-legged buzzard flew over my head this morning in the Seaton Burn area.  At first it looked like an 'odd' buzzard with long wings.  As it got closer, the belly was very pale with dark splodges either side of the breast and brown flecking between the darker areas.  Its flight gave the impression of a very large marsh harrier and the black/dark brown carpal areas were very obvious.  The tail appeared long and as it moved away the well-defined dark grey/brown band to the lower tail was very apparent against the white upper tail.  The bird flew towards Prestwick Carr at about 8:45 am.  I am sure that there will be debate about this bird as there are common buzzards with pale bases to their tails and dark tips to their feathers.

Within 10 minutes a female goshawk come out onto the sunny side of birch woodland and was present for about an hour.  It was occassionally being mobbed by a very brave carrion crow.  Other birds in the area included nuthatch, siskins, lots of robins and 6 meadow pipits feeding on a muck heap.

3 comments:

  1. Not debate, George, just envy. To my knowledge I've never seen a rough-legged buzzard, even though years ago in Notts we were in an area where they were supposed to be regulars.

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  2. Seen a few George, best was one at Whitley Bay a few years back, showing very well indeed. Had two together on a twitch to North Yorks Moors two years ago...superb birds. I once came to see one at Denwick, but when I got here it was just a pale common buzzard.

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