Dark morph juvenile European Honey Buzzard - one of nearly 120 birds involved in the displacement from Scandinavia
Four WHINCHATS were seen today including this bird above
MONDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2008
(Another glorious morning, with very light E winds and calm conditions; wind increased through the afternoon and temperatures dipped)
PITSTONE HILL
(0900-1000 hours)
Relatively quiet raptorwise with little movement - a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER flying east over the peak was the highlight, whilst 2 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS were with 63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the fields adjacent to the main Ivinghoe-Dunstable road.
In and around the Pitstone Hill car park were Common Chiffchaff, a WILLOW WARBLER, LESSER WHITETHROAT and a juvenile WHINCHAT (on wires).
IVINGHOE HILLS NR
(1010-1630 hours; partly with CJ & FB)
A further six hours of sky-watching reaped rewards. First off, a superb adult male NORTHERN GOSHAWK showed well as it soared above the extensive woodland to the south of the main car park from 1025-1030 hours and again at 1037-1039. Then, at 1220 hours, an awesome dark morph juvenile EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD appeared actually over the main car park....and incredibly low down. I had just returned to my car to recharge my phone when I noticed a large raptor spiral up from just above the fenceline. I couldn't believe my eyes as a dark morph juvenile circled overhead - perhaps no more than 30 feet above. The views afforded were 'crippling' and for a few minutes, it simply circled round and round above the car park. As it moved above the main road, it was joined by a Common Kestrel but then a Carrion Crow charged in and mobbed it. This forced it to gain height and it then disappeared over the tall Beech trees heading in the direction of Ringshall. By 1223, it had disappeared. I contacted Mike Collard, RBA, Ben Miller and Charlie Jackson and left messages with Dave Bilcock and Francis Buckle; Don Otter in Ringshall was contacted but once again the bird may have changed direction and could have been the same bird that Alan Shearman saw over Princes Risborough at 1415 hours. I was amazed at just how low the bird was flying. It was a very dark juvenile but typified by very strong barring on the underwings and undertail. The entire underwing coverts were very dark brown, with wholly dark wing-tips (outer hand) and blackish carpal markings. The tail was markedly rounded towards the tip and had three well-defined 'bars', including a broad blackish terminal band. It was so close that I could see the head in detail, with a yellowish cere and a dark eye. I only had a brief view of its upperparts, but they were mainly uniform brown, with a slightly paler area on the coverts and a slightly barred uppertail. The neck was very slim, with the head held forward, and this combined with its long tail and long wings gave it a unique profile.
COMMON BUZZARDS were once again well represented with a strong southerly passage, primarily of juveniles. In addition to perhaps 16 'resident' birds, some 20 or so passage birds occurred, including 3 at 1320 hours and a kettle of 10 at 1530. The latter were interesting in their behaviour - they spiralled up when approaching the hills from the north and thermalled continuously up into the clouds until out of view. They then presumably glided south over the escarpment at a tremendous height.
Three different adult HOBBIES also flew south, whilst a strong passage of BARN SWALLOWS continued throughout the day. At least 4 COMMON RAVENS were seen.
In the sheep pens, the fences and drinking troughs held 3 WHINCHATS, the continuing COMMON STONECHAT and a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR, whilst in the top scrub, 2 BULLFINCH, 2 MARSH TIT and a SISKIN were noted. Goldfinch numbers totalled at least 143, with 25 Skylarks and 45 Meadow Pipits also encountered.
In the ploughed field below, some 186 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were click-counted.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
Apart from Lapwing, all of the waders have departed
Great Crested Grebe - 19
Little Grebe - 8
LITTLE EGRETS - 4 still present, all roosting in the 'Cormorant trees' at dusk
Mute Swan - just 42
WHOOPER SWANS - both present
Greylag Geese - 63
Eurasian Wigeon - 140+
NORTHERN PINTAIL - 3+
RUDDY DUCK - adult drake
COMMON BUZZARD - 2 over
RED KITES - 3
COMMON GULLS - 8 flew east (3 adults; 5 first-winters)
Stock Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
GREY WAGTAIL - noticeable passage
YELLOW WAGTAILS - 9
Barn Swallows - 33+
Mistle Thrush - 15 over
(Another glorious morning, with very light E winds and calm conditions; wind increased through the afternoon and temperatures dipped)
PITSTONE HILL
(0900-1000 hours)
Relatively quiet raptorwise with little movement - a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER flying east over the peak was the highlight, whilst 2 adult YELLOW-LEGGED GULLS were with 63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the fields adjacent to the main Ivinghoe-Dunstable road.
In and around the Pitstone Hill car park were Common Chiffchaff, a WILLOW WARBLER, LESSER WHITETHROAT and a juvenile WHINCHAT (on wires).
IVINGHOE HILLS NR
(1010-1630 hours; partly with CJ & FB)
A further six hours of sky-watching reaped rewards. First off, a superb adult male NORTHERN GOSHAWK showed well as it soared above the extensive woodland to the south of the main car park from 1025-1030 hours and again at 1037-1039. Then, at 1220 hours, an awesome dark morph juvenile EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD appeared actually over the main car park....and incredibly low down. I had just returned to my car to recharge my phone when I noticed a large raptor spiral up from just above the fenceline. I couldn't believe my eyes as a dark morph juvenile circled overhead - perhaps no more than 30 feet above. The views afforded were 'crippling' and for a few minutes, it simply circled round and round above the car park. As it moved above the main road, it was joined by a Common Kestrel but then a Carrion Crow charged in and mobbed it. This forced it to gain height and it then disappeared over the tall Beech trees heading in the direction of Ringshall. By 1223, it had disappeared. I contacted Mike Collard, RBA, Ben Miller and Charlie Jackson and left messages with Dave Bilcock and Francis Buckle; Don Otter in Ringshall was contacted but once again the bird may have changed direction and could have been the same bird that Alan Shearman saw over Princes Risborough at 1415 hours. I was amazed at just how low the bird was flying. It was a very dark juvenile but typified by very strong barring on the underwings and undertail. The entire underwing coverts were very dark brown, with wholly dark wing-tips (outer hand) and blackish carpal markings. The tail was markedly rounded towards the tip and had three well-defined 'bars', including a broad blackish terminal band. It was so close that I could see the head in detail, with a yellowish cere and a dark eye. I only had a brief view of its upperparts, but they were mainly uniform brown, with a slightly paler area on the coverts and a slightly barred uppertail. The neck was very slim, with the head held forward, and this combined with its long tail and long wings gave it a unique profile.
COMMON BUZZARDS were once again well represented with a strong southerly passage, primarily of juveniles. In addition to perhaps 16 'resident' birds, some 20 or so passage birds occurred, including 3 at 1320 hours and a kettle of 10 at 1530. The latter were interesting in their behaviour - they spiralled up when approaching the hills from the north and thermalled continuously up into the clouds until out of view. They then presumably glided south over the escarpment at a tremendous height.
Three different adult HOBBIES also flew south, whilst a strong passage of BARN SWALLOWS continued throughout the day. At least 4 COMMON RAVENS were seen.
In the sheep pens, the fences and drinking troughs held 3 WHINCHATS, the continuing COMMON STONECHAT and a single NORTHERN WHEATEAR, whilst in the top scrub, 2 BULLFINCH, 2 MARSH TIT and a SISKIN were noted. Goldfinch numbers totalled at least 143, with 25 Skylarks and 45 Meadow Pipits also encountered.
In the ploughed field below, some 186 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were click-counted.
WILSTONE RESERVOIR
Apart from Lapwing, all of the waders have departed
Great Crested Grebe - 19
Little Grebe - 8
LITTLE EGRETS - 4 still present, all roosting in the 'Cormorant trees' at dusk
Mute Swan - just 42
WHOOPER SWANS - both present
Greylag Geese - 63
Eurasian Wigeon - 140+
NORTHERN PINTAIL - 3+
RUDDY DUCK - adult drake
COMMON BUZZARD - 2 over
RED KITES - 3
COMMON GULLS - 8 flew east (3 adults; 5 first-winters)
Stock Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
GREY WAGTAIL - noticeable passage
YELLOW WAGTAILS - 9
Barn Swallows - 33+
Mistle Thrush - 15 over
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