Honey buzzard, S Wales? (1 Viewer)

[luke]

hi folks,
i am pretty sure i saw and adult honey buzzard this afternoon flying over abergavenny, but not having any real previous experience with this species i just want to run a description by you guys to see what you think

Essentially common buzzard sized with slightly longer wings along with a longish narrow tail. the colour was near white with a destinctive black patch on the 'shoulder' (i only saw the under wing) and a black edge to the wing. a dark band at the end of the tail was noticable but i didnt have any bins but the bird was flying only 100-150 feet up. It also showed an almost extended head. i also watched the bird flying away from me but it was a reasonable distance by now but i noticed it glided on very flat wings flapping slightly quicker than common buzzard in an accipiter type glide, 'flap flap flap -glide'

any thaughts?

 

[lou salomon]

i'd be inclined to disagree with the honey buzzard theory. especially the description of the flight pattern is wrong for honey b. which has a slower and deeper wing beat. the pattern you described can very well be shown by common buzzard, and a light coloured c. buzzard shows the dark carpal patch as well; take it as my two pennys. without bins it's hard to id honey b., if you haven't seen the sp. before.

 

[luke]

After reading up on HB behaviour and flight patterns etc i also now think its a common buzzard, it just seemed the plumage and structure was right. Anyway i sent a detailed describtion to the county recorder just to be on the safe side so we'll see what happens (probably not alot)

 

[deborah4]

I'm with Lou on this i reckon. I had very close views of a Honey last week (only about 30-40 feet up and 75 yards away!!), and it was so obviously different in gizz to a buteo - the flap flight was slower, deeper and more powerful and the whole wing gave a more 'solid' impression with tail appearing narrower, not just longer - the primaries fingers were not splayed up in glide and there was a smooth even downward curve from shoulder to wing tip in glide. The head looked smaller even though stretched forward.

I'm certainly not saying your bird definately wasn't one though Luke, just think it's hard to say on verbal descriptions alone!

 

[Black Wheatear]

Hi Luke,

Not a lot I can add to Lou and Deborah's comments, but perhaps the photo might help taken here yesterday. :t:

 

[luke]

i didnt see the bird saw, only gliding so my view was a bit different to the those in the pic. the bird i saw was markly paler than those in the pic aswell, but almost bad a black and white appearance. So what do honeys fly like when they are gliding? this bird this afternoon wasnt hanging around.

 

[Black Wheatear]

i didnt see the bird saw, only gliding so my view was a bit different to the those in the pic. the bird i saw was markly paler than those in the pic aswell, but almost bad a black and white appearance. So what do honeys fly like when they are gliding? this bird this afternoon wasnt hanging around.

Luke,

Honey Buzzards are highly variable in plummage as is clearly demonstrated in the previous photo and the other below (ignore the Black Kites!!). All raptors and especially the larger ones can also vary wing shape and posture according to wind conditions, but I have always thought Honey Buzzard to have a cigar tube shaped body with deeper wings and longer tail than B.buteo. Under 'normal' conditions gliding birds do not appear much different from those shown soaring in the photos. Not much I know, but hope the comments and extra photo help in some small measure?

 

[deborah4]

Some excellent comparative shots - I've noticed that Honey's have less bend on the trailing edge of wing too giving a slightly more parallel wing shape, but not sure whether this is structure or just how they appear in flight?

You can have a drink now Peter B

 

[Black Wheatear]

Phew! Thanks Deborah, but will probably have more than one. B

 

[deborah4]

Phew! Thanks Deborah, but will probably have more than one. B

lol! So is it structure or just flight shape that offers the apparent difference in wing curvature (apart from length of course)? ie length of secs/prim feathers? Or just gliding with straighter wings and no carpal bend?

(B B B )

 

[lou salomon]

funny thing, today i obs. 4 honey buzzards migrating and occasionally they showed indeed a "flap-flap-flap-glide" pattern - like probably most active migrating BOPs. still: the very tiny protruding head and wing shape, near the body narrower, then bulging secondaries (debs!) is crystal clear, when you know them.

 

[lostinjapan]

Hey Lou

Oriental Honey Buzzard and Honey Buzzard when they are finding it difficult to catch thermals show that flap, flap, flap, glide pattern I've found.

As you say they tend to look small-headed, almost like a pigeon to me, with the combination of pinched and bulging secondaries they are unmistakable.

Great birds..looking forward to them coming through here in the next couple of weeks.

Sean

Hiroshima

 

[Farnboro John]

The pinch in at the base of the wings is almost always obvious on Honeys - Buzzards just look like a curved plank with a tail and short head stuck on.

John