trip across to South Ferriby yesterday, good views of rough legged buzzard in the morning with bird being active, although being mobbed by the local crows. Bird last seen at 12.30 headed off south after some ****** bloke walked across the field and down the fence line. went for walk on public foot path behind works, good views of two marsh harriers hunting in fields.
Long drive to see bird only to have bird disturbed by above. But views i got were good so worth the trip.
Took half day and went to South Ferriby again en route to Hatfield - this time the Rough Legged Buzzard was present some 400m away from the road on the fence line - which it was using for hunting from. Other birds included a big juv? male Marsh Harrier [], a female Marsh Harrier - probable Merlin [last two both perched on driftwood], Sparrowhawk and plenty of ducks on the river. Also at least ten Fallow Deer on the island.
If you saw enough to be sure that the bird had no white rump though Peter, then I'd fully have expected you to have seen the white uppertail were it present. As for the Collins guide stating Rough-legged Buzzard can be mistaken for Marsh Harrier, whilst I wouldn't like to argue with authors of that calibre, I really don't see how
Stick with your first instinct Peter, it's usually the right one
Thanks Ian, the head down hunting posture seemed so Marsh Harrier like that I didn't doubt myself in the field...oh the joy of birding Peter
If you saw enough to be sure that the bird had no white rump though Peter, then I'd fully have expected you to have seen the white uppertail were it present. As for the Collins guide stating Rough-legged Buzzard can be mistaken for Marsh Harrier, whilst I wouldn't like to argue with authors of that calibre, I really don't see how
Stick with your first instinct Peter, it's usually the right one
After the Ring Billed Gull in Yorkshire today I carried on east to look for the Rough Legged Buzzard.
First off I saw what I believed to be a Common Buzzard just before the cement works on my way to the first pull in west of the works themselves. There I met a very helpful chap [an Elton regular no less] and I mentioned the Common I'd seen, as we were scanning the fence line and trees a local chap pulled up and said the RLB was moving along the river towards us in front of a dog walker - which was exactly what the presumed Common I'd seen had been doing - tree hopping in front of a dog walker. A walk back and a look through a scope left both of us fairly certain it was a Common.
It was then that I committed a beginners error - trying to get a better angle on the fence line I left the first pull in for another about 200m further up the road and was about to give up when I scanned the river behind and saw two BOP have a quick tussle over the far bank. I watched as one of them crossed the river flew straight over the first pull in and hunted down the fence line. I thought "what a coincidence that big March Harrier hunting exactly where the RLB has been, I won't bother with any photos at that range I'll just enjoy watching it" and watched what I took as a Harrier for a few minutes until it dropped into cover onto prey. At the time the only thoughts I had were that it was a large harrier from its head down hunting flight and not a Hen Harrier as there was no white rump but slightly puzzled that I couldn't get a grip on the plumage. Time was short so I set off home without waiting for the bird to come back out of the cover.
Then I get home and puzzle over Collins to check the Common was a Common, look at the photos of the RLB at that location and then with a sinking feeling see that Collins states that an RLB can often be mistaken for a Marsh Harrier... So I'll never know which it was but if anyone else is going for a look study the big harrier closely :)
], a female Marsh Harrier - probable Merlin [last two both perched on driftwood], Sparrowhawk and plenty of ducks on the river. Also at least ten Fallow Deer on the island.
