Donna Nook, 6 th October.

Stephen Lorand · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 8:17 pm

There was some good raptor watching at the south end during the late morning and early afternoon. The highlight was a juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard which came in off the sea at the same time as a juvenile Marsh Harrier and then continued inland. It passed a party of 6 wheeling Common Buzzards fairly closely, but made no attempt to join them. Later, there were 8 Common Buzzards. Other raptors present were 4 Kestrels, Merlin, Peregrine and 2 Sparrowhawks.

Not many migrants seen today. The best were 15 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwings, 10 Robins, 2 Goldcrests, 10 Chiffchaffs, 6 Siskins and 4 Lesser Redpolls. 100 Pinkfeet flew south and a short seawatch saw 14 Gannets north and a Bonxie south. BC recorded an Icterine Warbler by Stonebridge car-park in the late afternoon.

Anthony Bentley · **Posted:** Sun Oct 06, 2013 9:39 pm

I'm not questioning your Rough-legged Buzzard. But this bird was seen over spurn today as well.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

I personally think this is a pale morph Common Buzzard. It could be the same bird as yours?

Graham Catley · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:20 pm **Posts:** 1667

Anthony Bentley wrote:

I'm not questioning your Rough-legged Buzzard. But this bird was seen over spurn today as well.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

I personally think this is a pale morph Common Buzzard. It could be the same bird as yours?

A juvenile Common as you suggest. Is this the bird reported from Spurn as a RLB? Or was there a genuine one?

Terence Whalin · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:12 am

I have a photo of a juv pale phase that has been in the area since august shown it to roy Harvey he said it could easily be mistaken for a rough leg as could its parent which hangs around inland pyes for the last 18 months or so.

that is not to say the bird reported was not a rough leg.

terry whalin

Anthony Bentley · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:49 pm

http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/sightings/

Yes it's the same bird that went south through Spurn yesterday.

Stephen Lorand · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 2:55 pm

Thanks Anthony for raising this issue. I know how confusing some of these pale birds can be, but this bird with its atypical mode of flight and silhouette has really thrown me. Particularly when it flew past the other buzzards, I noted how it glided on slightly-lifted inner wings which were angled down towards the hand, unlike any of the other birds. I am quite sure that the bird I saw was yesterday's individual from Spurn and as such, I will withdraw the record. One can learn a lot from one good still photograph. The bird came in from the sea at 1135, does anyone know what time it left Spurn?

The dunes were very quiet this morning (7th). Best were 3 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs, Reed Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Tree Sparrow, 9 Gannets and 3 Great Skuas.

Derick Evans · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 4:11 pm

Confusing, I should say so.
A couple of weeks ago I visited Grainthorpe Haven for a change and while passing 'The Fitties' noted a distant and very pale Buzzard over Pyes Hall, that really made me scratch my head a bit.

Fortunately for me the pale Common Buzzard flew directly over my car to put me out of my misery.
Confusing indeed!

Colin Pumfrett · **Joined:** Wed May 25, 2005 3:26 pm **Posts:** 223

I saw it at Canal scrape, Spurn at approx 2pm.

Graham Catley · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:20 pm **Posts:** 1667

Stephen Routledge · **Posted:** Mon Oct 07, 2013 9:22 pm

The bird at Spurn yesterday and maybe the bird Steve Lorand saw was a blatant juv. Pale morph Common,I don't see what all the fuss is about.!!As raptors go and some can be a nightmare such as Pallid Harrier,Juv Rough-leg has to be one of the easiest to I.d. in my opinion.

Steve.

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Donna Nook, 6 th October.

Who is online