Osprey at Humberston

Vic Jay · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 8:31 pm

At about 1.00 p.m. today, as I approached Humberston driving north on the A1031, an osprey flew east to west over the road in front of my car. It flew over the fishing pond and continued its leisurely flight north west towards Humberston Avenue. I stopped the car off the road and took some pictures, but by this time it was quite a long way away. Subsequent attempts to find it in the many trees on Humberston Avenue were unsuccessful. Any other osprey sightings recently?

Dave Bradbeer · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:51 pm

Vic
A Rough legged Buzzard was in that area a week ago, just a thought.

John Badley · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:02 pm

Hi Vic,

Ospreys are exceptional in winter.

The last reported on Birdguides was on 16 November in Ireland, the last in Britain 29 October in Essex.

Common (or rough-legged) buzzards can be very pale. See the forum...

http://www.lincsbirdclub.co.uk/album/di ... p?pid=2210

Best wishes,

John

Vic Jay · **Posted:** Mon Dec 03, 2012 10:17 pm

I've sent the pictures to a couple of members and am awaiting confirmation or otherwise. If it was a rough legged buzzard it would be embarrassing but still a great sight! I must learn to keep my eyes on the road.
Vic.

John T Goy · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:30 pm **Posts:** 2385

Vic,

No need to be embarassed, at least your thread got the attention of others and they were not nasty in their replies.

I can remember over the years many new members posting their sightings and getting a right shlacking from certain members because the sighting was wrong. This upset them and they decided not to post their sightings because they didn't want the hassle.

Continue putting your sightings on here and don't worry about looking or feeling a wally :wink:

Even the most experienced members have sometimes got it wrong.

When I read your report I thought it was way late for an Ossy but as I hadn't been on here for a week wasn't sure what it could be.

Good luck!

Regards

Max

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 12:48 pm

Well said Max.
It is tbe season of goodwill to all men you know. Oh! and women, sorry.

Though uncommon, Ospreys do occur in winter here in tbe UK.

Sure there's many recent sightings but here's a few older records plucked from the Interweb.

Devon: on the coast at Ilfracombe from Aug-Dec 1944; Roadford Reservoir on 6th December 1998.

Hampshire: Needs Ore on 7th December 1953; Arlesford Reservoir on 3rd-6th December 1967.

Sussex: Arlington Reservoir until 9th December 1994 (from September?).

Surrey: Frensham Little Pond "winter of 1885"; Kew and Richmond Park, December 1898; Gatton 17th November-13th December 1979; Papercourt on 8th December 2004.

Buckinghamshire: "seen in winter" at Fawley Woods in 1858.

Hertfordshire: Moor Hill, Radlett, 8th January 1959.

Essex: "Obtained" near Colchester in the middle of January 1850; River Stour, 10th November-8th December 2006; (also references to "two reported to have visited Gosfield Lake '...during one or two winters...' ".

Norfolk: Hickling on 1st January 1905.

Last but not least.
Lincolnshire: shot on 4th December 1868 (no location given). [-X

Richard Gunn · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:52 pm

It's good to note that unusual sightings are now being viewed sympathetically on the LBC forum. It's easy for long-standing members to be harshly dismissive of a sighting especially when that sighting originates from a recently signed-up member.
Derick Evans interesting historical Osprey catalogue adds some powder to Vic Jay's potential observation.

Richard....

Andrew Chick · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 6:26 pm

Interesting bird...

Vic sent me a copy of the photograph of the bird disappearing....showing long fingers on the wing and pale upper-tail feathers.

I have photoshopped it and adjusted the contrast to get the following result...

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:36 pm

Andrew Chick wrote:

Interesting bird... <snip>....showing long fingers on the wing and pale upper-tail feathers.

Viewed from behind the wings appear long and narrow, with a long hand and possibly only 4 long 'fingers'.

I wonder do the other pictures taken show 4 or 5 long fingers Vic?

Andy Atkinson · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 12:36 am

osprey was reported humberston fitties a1030 road so is it just a feed from this forum..cool name Jay

Stephen Lorand · **Posted:** Wed Dec 05, 2012 1:05 am

Although the photograph of the bird flying away lacks several distinctive features, the tail pattern with its broad blackish band and the seemingly dark pattern to the lower belly are typical of a Rough-legged Buzzard. The wings seem artificially narrow on account of the angle of the bird flying away. On the right wing, the kink between the raised arm and the lowered hand are characteristic of Rough-legged Buzzard. Unfortunately, the upperparts are rather blurred and appear to be uniformly dark and show little in the way of distinctive pale patches on any of the primaries or coverts, nor is there any trace of a dark trailing edge to the wing. In flight, the bird would have appeared to have been quite powerful with its slow and heavy wing-beats.

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Osprey at Humberston

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