Honey Buzzard watchpoints. (1 Viewer)

[Tideliner]

Just a quick note to inform those interested both the Swanton Novers and Wensum Valley Watchpoints are open now. Visitors to the Wensum Valley Watchpoint should take care as the path has become very rutted by farming opperations this winter and at the moment the ground is rock solid and too hard to roll flat.


Though we get the usual rash of early sightings of honey buzzards , the majority at this time of year are of common buzzards and I would not expect our birds for another three weeks. Personaly I have never seen one at ether watchpoints before the 14th of May.

However Ked kites are being seen from both watchpoints ( though mainly at the Wensum Valley Watchpoint ) loads of common buzzards ( 12 yesterday in the air togeather at Swanton Novers ) and for the past couple of months a male goshawk has been present at at Swanton too. Marsh harriers showing today at The Wensum Valley watchpoint and hobbies at both watchpoints.

 

[kittykat23uk]

Hi Tideliner,

Thanks for the update. Are the views normally distant at both these watchpoints or are they any good for photographing raptors? My OH is a raptor nut but mainly interested in photographing them.

Thanks,

Jo

 

[Tideliner]

For honey buzzards the Swanton Novers watchpoint often gives closer views as the birds move between the woods surrounding the watch point. I have seen them hedge hop too close to use a scope , but you realy need a camera with a 700mm or higher lens. The closest views often come in un-raptor weather , windy cool and overcast conditions. Avoid still windless , hot sunny days as the birds will usualy fly very high.

However getting good photos of honey buzzards is not easy and we sometimes go a whole summer with out getting record shots. Indeed you can go weeks without even seeing them. One regular birder had to make 17 visits before getting his first sighting of the year. On the other hand we had a guy who came up from London to see them- they were showing over the watch point as he arrived and after 10 mins he said he had to get back to London as he had tickets for the cup final. With luck like that I bet his team won !

 

[curiousbirdwatcher]

Honey Buzzard activity.

Indeed you can go weeks without even seeing them. One regular birder had to make 17 visits before getting his first sighting of the year.

I lived in Norfolk for a while some years ago and visited the Swanton Novers site many times between May-September, yet also never saw a Honey Buzzard there! (except possibly once). I have since had more success in the New Forest, including seeing the wing-clapping/butterfly display a couple of years back.

One question, in Norfolk do you find the birds are more visible soon after they first arrive, or at other periods in the season e.g. when feeding young/fledging time? And in your experience are there specific times of day when activity is more likely in good weather conditions?

 

[Tideliner]

The Swanton area honey buzzards are usualy not too hard to see if the weather is good. The best period is the last 2 weeks of May , avoid June and from the second week in July onwards until they leave they usualy show fairly well. If they fail to breed they will normaly go mid August , if successful the male at least will stay until the end of August or the first few days of September. The young may stay for another week , but the odds of seeing them is very low.

Weather is very important for sightings. You will not often see them on wet windy days. The ideal weather is a warm ( not hot ) day , scattered puffy clouds , sunny and a light breeze. The majority of sightings come between 10.00 am and 1.30 pm and sometimes there can be some activity in the late afternoon. In very hot weather they fly a lot earlier in the mornings and vanish once it gets realy hot.

 

[curiousbirdwatcher]

The majority of sightings come between 10.00 am and 1.30 pm and sometimes there can be some activity in the late afternoon. In very hot weather they fly a lot earlier in the mornings and vanish once it gets realy hot.

Thankyou. That pretty much tallies with my experiences in the NF. I have seen them at various times between 10.am. and 3 p.m. with no apparent pattern to their activity periods.

 

[Tideliner]

A honey buzzard has returned to Swanton Novers bang on time. That makes 12 out of the past 15 years they have returned between 15th and 17th of the May.

A single displaying male first seen yesterday afternoon and again this afternoon. Given the overcast cool conditions a female could be in too , but not showing . We need a calm , warm , sunny day to know. Plenty of common buzzards on show plus the usual sparrowhawks and kestrels. A goshawk also present in the reserve , but not as yet seen from the watchpoint since early April. Osprey through the other day too.

 

[Biancone]

Tideliner, thanks for this really useful info on the Swanton area birds. Spent a few hours there but only a distant 'possible'. I'm currently working away but, happily, the Honeys have arrived here too: first one seen here (north Italy) on 12 May last year, and 14 May this year. Can't work out why they don't appear earlier, or perhaps I just don't see them. Showing well at the moment though......sure put a smile on my face anyway! Not-quite so-blurry-as-usual photo of male (I think) attached, just for a taster.

 

[Tideliner]

All quiet on the Honery buzzard front today with no confirmed sightings at Swanton Novers An osprey has been present for the last few days , plus hobby , sparrowhawks , kestrel and loads of common buzzards.

 

[O.Reville1989]

Didn't see any Honey Buzzards today at either site but did have half a dozen Buzzards, a Hobby, Male Marsh Harrier and a Harris Hawk which is apparently common place around the Great Ryburgh site!
First time I've looked this year though!

 

[mickbe74]

The Swanton area honey buzzards are usualy not too hard to see if the weather is good. The best period is the last 2 weeks of May , avoid June and from the second week in July onwards until they leave they usualy show fairly well. If they fail to breed they will normaly go mid August , if successful the male at least will stay until the end of August or the first few days of September. The young may stay for another week , but the odds of seeing them is very low.

Weather is very important for sightings. You will not often see them on wet windy days. The ideal weather is a warm ( not hot ) day , scattered puffy clouds , sunny and a light breeze. The majority of sightings come between 10.00 am and 1.30 pm and sometimes there can be some activity in the late afternoon. In very hot weather they fly a lot earlier in the mornings and vanish once it gets realy hot.

Hi,i usually make one trip a month and was going to visit this month (12th June)to try for Honey Buzzards,is it really unlikely to see one in June,is it worth risking or should i try in mid July?Thanks in advance.

 

[Tideliner]

June is not a good period to try and fine honey buzzards at Swanton Novers. Things not looking good so far this year.

 

[Biancone]

...Things not looking good so far this year.

Hi, just curious, is that "not looking good" in the sense of no pair, or has the male you reported on 17th moved on also?

 

[Tideliner]

Well things have improved over the last few days with a honey buzzard being seen several times from the Swanton Novers and Wensum Valley watchpoints. Not too late for them to breed , but they want to get on with it.

In the last few days 3 different red kites , goshawk and harris hawk at the Swanton Novers watchpoint along with the usual common buzzards , sparrowhawks and kestrels.

 

[O.Reville1989]

Well things have improved over the last few days with a honey buzzard being seen several times from the Swanton Novers and Wensum Valley watchpoints. Not too late for them to breed , but they want to get on with it.

In the last few days 3 different red kites , goshawk and harris hawk at the Swanton Novers watchpoint along with the usual common buzzards , sparrowhawks and kestrels.

Cheers for the update, know where I'm heading tomorrow

 

[O.Reville1989]

No signs of Honey's at Swanton Novers between 11:00-1:00 and 2:00-3:00, no sign at Ryburgh between 1:00-2:00 ish!
Plenty of Buzzard sightings though including one that teased for a while by hanging its wings but raised them soon after.
Kestrel and Sparrowhawk seen at Swanton as well as a male Blackcap, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and Linnet.

 

[Tideliner]

Sorry you had no luck with the honey buzzards today. They are not the most easy birds to see at the best of times. Some years ago we had a very distinctive female honey buzzard that spent most of its time in the area of Swanton Novers Woods closest to the watch point. I would see her several times a week in the reserve flying below the woodland canopy , but nobody saw her from the watch point 400 yards away for 6 weeks and most of the regulars thought I was pulling their legs. Then one day she went up in mid July , soaring above the assembled watchers. Indeed Robbert's in his paper on honeys states some honey buzzard pairs are not seem to display even though they are known to be breeding. I often go for 10 days or more with seeing one. Honey buzzards are secretive at the best of times and though you can strike it lucky be prepared to put in days or weeks of observations before you get a sighting.

 

[O.Reville1989]

Sorry you had no luck with the honey buzzards today. They are not the most easy birds to see at the best of times. Some years ago we had a very distinctive female honey buzzard that spent most of its time in the area of Swanton Novers Woods closest to the watch point. I would see her several times a week in the reserve flying below the woodland canopy , but nobody saw her from the watch point 400 yards away for 6 weeks and most of the regulars thought I was pulling their legs. Then one day she went up in mid July , soaring above the assembled watchers. Indeed Robbert's in his paper on honeys states some honey buzzard pairs are not seem to display even though they are known to be breeding. I often go for 10 days or more with seeing one. Honey buzzards are secretive at the best of times and though you can strike it lucky be prepared to put in days or weeks of observations before you get a sighting.

Ah just one of those things! I've lived in Norfolk 15 years and never seen them but then I haven't had the time to put the major hours in required!
Is there much chance of seeing them in June? I believe its generally better again once we reach 2nd week of July onwards!

 

[stuart white]

some years are better than others, in 2008 Honey buzzards were virtually guaranteed at swanton novers from 13th July to 15th Aug. You could rock up anytime from mid morning and see one or three fairly quickly. I think this was because a rogue male turned up and the resident male and female got all razzed up

 

[Tideliner]

You are right there Stuart , if a strange bird turns up in their territory it always upsets the resident birds. As for this year I would not say any have settled at Swanton yet though there have been some real sightings there have been a number of mis IDs to put it lightly that have ended up on the pagers.