Honey buzzards North Wales (1 Viewer)

[Dfrancis992]

Hello I am interested in finding honey buzzards in north wales I would appreciate it if anyone had any information on if they are in north wales and where to find them

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

I believe there are HBs in North Wales (not now as they are migratory). However, as far as I know, there are no sites in the public domain, as they are susceptible to disturbance. Good luck.

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

I’d second Welsh Peregrines’s feedback Dfrancis. Welcome to BirdForum btw.

Rich

 

[Dfrancis992]

I believe there are HBs in North Wales (not now as they are migratory). However, as far as I know, there are no sites in the public domain, as they are susceptible to disturbance. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply do you know roughly any areas where I can look for them?

 

[Dfrancis992]

I’d second Welsh Peregrines’s feedback Dfrancis. Welcome to BirdForum btw.

Rich

Thank you

 

[Johann Sebastian Bach]

I think you'll find people will be very cagey with HB sites - as Welsh Peregrine says, they attract interest from people who are not really interested in the birds' welfare. A further disincentive is the current restriction on travel.

There's nothing better than getting to know your local patch thoroughly and finding your own!

Peter

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

All of my knowledge is vague and second hand I am afraid; it’s not on my Welsh list.

 

[Dfrancis992]

I think you'll find people will be very cagey with HB sites - as Welsh Peregrine says, they attract interest from people who are not really interested in the birds' welfare. A further disincentive is the current restriction on travel.

There's nothing better than getting to know your local patch thoroughly and finding your own!

Peter

Fair enough I’ll have to give that a go this summer then never seen one before

 

[Phil Andrews]

The latest Rare Birds Breeding Panel report available online (2017) lists no Honey Buzzards breeding in North Wales.

 

[Steve Lister]

Just find yourself a good viewpoint with a long range view over an area with plenty of woodland, set your scope up and look at every raptor. That's how I see all the few HBs that I do see in the places where they do breed.

 

[stevo]

Hello I am interested in finding honey buzzards in north wales I would appreciate it if anyone had any information on if they are in north wales and where to find them

I take it you have a schedule 1 license? You don't make it clear what level of observation you intend to conduct.

 

[Dfrancis992]

I take it you have a schedule 1 license? You don't make it clear what level of observation you intend to conduct.

I don’t have a license I just wanted to know where I can view them from a distance and if it was even worth looking in Wales

 

[Birdspotter]

Up here in Scotland whilst still a very rare breeder the status has greatly been changed by some very enthusiastic people.
Just because someone says they are not recorded as breeding in Wales doesn’t mean they are not there, they are only there once someone finds them.
I would suggest you look at old historical sites for this species, study maps to find potential view points as well as any potential new areas and then give it time at each of your chosen VP’s over several visits. May, July & August will be the times when this secretive species will be best looked for.
I tried around 10 times at a range of spots last year in Scotland and scored just once!

 

[Dfrancis992]

Up here in Scotland whilst still a very rare breeder the status has greatly been changed by some very enthusiastic people.
Just because someone says they are not recorded as breeding in Wales doesn’t mean they are not there, they are only there once someone finds them.
I would suggest you look at old historical sites for this species, study maps to find potential view points as well as any potential new areas and then give it time at each of your chosen VP’s over several visits. May, July & August will be the times when this secretive species will be best looked for.
I tried around 10 times at a range of spots last year in Scotland and scored just once!

Thank you for the help

 

[rollingthunder]

If you want information from people you are not really ‘finding’ them

There was somebody on here a year or so ago who claimed loads of sitings from North Wales. When i questioned his sitings etc he cut up rough and sent me a PM informing me that should our paths cross then i had better ‘watch my back’ I reported the prat and the posts were removed and account closed...

Use whatever knowledge and skillset you have plus a pinch of serendipity. Self-found through personal endeavour is far more satisfying than tilting at other peoples windmills imo.

When allowed to travel i would suggest late August > early September and get a cheap flight to Malaga then coach to Tarifa - you can’t miss it it’s opposite Tangier

There you should see thousands of adults and juveniles en-route to Africa and get the prolonged views and experience to allow you to pick them out at distance back over here.

Good Birding -

Laurie

 

[Dfrancis992]

If you want information from people you are not really ‘finding’ them

There was somebody on here a year or so ago who claimed loads of sitings from North Wales. When i questioned his sitings etc he cut up rough and sent me a PM informing me that should our paths cross then i had better ‘watch my back’ I reported the prat and the posts were removed and account closed...

Use whatever knowledge and skillset you have plus a pinch of serendipity. Self-found through personal endeavour is far more satisfying than tilting at other peoples windmills imo.

When allowed to travel i would suggest late August > early September and get a cheap flight to Malaga then coach to Tarifa - you can’t miss it it’s opposite Tangier

There you should see thousands of adults and juveniles en-route to Africa and get the prolonged views and experience to allow you to pick them out at distance back over here.

Good Birding -

Laurie

Thank you for the reply I’ll have to put some more research into them I think

 

[Mike Crawley]

I can’t help specifically but I wonder whether it’s worth investigating this book ?

Amazon.co.uk

To see HB in Norfolk the guidance is/was excellent

 

[Dfrancis992]

I can’t help specifically but I wonder whether it’s worth investigating this book ?

Amazon.co.uk

To see HB in Norfolk the guidance is/was excellent

Thank you very much hopefully the book can help me also

 

[Andrew Clarke]

Thank you very much hopefully the book can help me also

There are no well known HB sites in Wales such as at several of the English raptor viewpoints.

Odd pairs scattered through huge areas of mainly forestry in the uplands but you will literally be searching for a needle in a haystack.

In the last 28 years I’ve only seen one breeding bird and no migrants despite tying very hard to find my own over coastal migrant hotspots.

Your best bet is the Continent!

Good birding

Andrew

 

[Dfrancis992]

There are no well known HB sites in Wales such as at several of the English raptor viewpoints.

Odd pairs scattered through huge areas of mainly forestry in the uplands but you will literally be searching for a needle in a haystack.

In the last 28 years I’ve only seen one breeding bird and no migrants despite tying very hard to find my own over coastal migrant hotspots.

Your best bet is the Continent!

Good birding

Andrew

Thank you very much