| Species |
Scientific name |
Place |
Lat |
Long |
Date |
Start time |
End time |
Count |
Breeding status |
Sensitive |
Remarkable |
Comment |
Habitat notes |
Breeding details |
Plumage |
Direction of flight |
Activity |
Pinpoint |
Source |
Observer name |
Visit weather comments |
Visit comments |
Part of complete list? |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Grange-over-Sands |
54.1808123 |
-2.913148 |
16/10/2017 |
10:15 |
17:00 |
1 |
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Saw nothing on the ridge when calm and murky but at 13:30 picked up a juvenile ruddy-brown Honey-buzzard flying hard into the breeze, keeping low and using obstructions to shelter itself. It flew past Lindale, bringing up 2 Common Buzzard in territorial defence. The Honey-buzzard rapidly gained height to escape the Common Buzzard, heading for the peninsula at Humphrey Head and leaving the Common Buzzard well behind. It was lost to sight but was presumably going to cross Morecambe Bay and make for Heysham. This bird had presumably come down the Kent from Lake Windermere, where a number of Honey-buzzard were seen migrating last year in October, and taken the SW turn where visibility better, instead of heading for the Pennines. Honey-buzzard migrants have been picked up by other observers at Heysham, so this looks to be a coastal route with some usage. Piccies are here (7200). Record is highly significant as my migration strategy model has Honey-buzzard moving to the coast in murky conditions. |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Arnside Knott |
54.1812614 |
-2.8518683 |
05/07/2010 |
11:00 |
17:00 |
1 |
1 |
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at 14:15 male up high over wood at Knott before plunging down again quickly; at 16:40 male moved quickly to W from NE part of wood to NW part of wood, series of towering/plunging moves against strong wind |
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1 Adult Male |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Ulverston N |
54.2063671 |
-3.0944447 |
13/06/2019 |
10:15 |
10:35 |
1 |
1 |
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at 10:15 a male Honey-buzzard appeared low-down over deciduous wood to N of Ulverston; he floated over the wood facing into the breeze, quite low down for 2 minutes until 10:17. At 10:33 he appeared briefly again in the same spot. Take this as a male patrolling over his territory while the female is settled on a clutch of eggs. Reviewing results from trip: the Honey-buzzard does not like maritime areas but I think that's coastal areas along the open sea, where the temperatures are cooler in summer. Now have 3 breeding-season records around Morecambe Bay: Arnside Knott (male, 05/07/2010), Ulverston N (male, 13/06/19), Warton Crag (female, 08/07/10); 1st 2 are in Cumbria, last in Lancashire, near Carnforth. Suspect Morecambe Bay is viewed a bit like a lake rather than the open sea! |
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1 Adult Male |
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NE light to moderate breeze, overcast, little drizzle from time to time |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Windermere Lakeside |
54.270437 |
-2.9458397 |
11/10/2016 |
10:55 |
16:00 |
1 |
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The other juvenile was gliding down a ridge from 12:15-12:18, moving SE from the N of Great Knott Wood but it did not move on, being seen again at the extreme E end of the ridge at 12:25; this dark-phase bird was lightweight with typical Honey-buzzard structure. Can see that Lake Windermere is a very attractive area for a lengthy stop-over by Scottish-bred juveniles. |
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1 Juvenile |
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1 Migrant (rest) |
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Temperatures were down a notch on a moderate NE breeze and there were only brief sunny intervals but it did stay dry |
steamer trip today down to Lakeside from Bowness with walk around the superb Great Knott Wood, owned by Woodland Trust. The wood contains much oak and Norway spruce and there has been considerable work on opening up the under-storey. |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Windermere Blake Holme Plantation |
54.288409 |
-2.9462516 |
07/07/2010 |
12:00 |
12:00 |
1 |
1 |
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male up over plantation at some distance floating effortlessly for 5 minutes from 12:12-12:17 |
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1 Adult Male |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Far Sawrey E/Bowness shore (SD39 X) |
54.3423247 |
-2.9474898 |
13/06/2008 |
11:20 |
18:00 |
3 |
5 |
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in trees on crags at W end of car ferry landing, prolonged display from 11:40-12:00; then 2 seen later from top of wood on open ground |
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coolish day but very bright, light NW wind, dry |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Far Sawrey E/Bowness shore (SD39 X) |
54.3423247 |
-2.9474898 |
10/10/2016 |
10:35 |
16:50 |
2 |
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Lake Windermere is perfect for breeding and migrating Honey-buzzard with its extensive woodland along the steep edges and its N-S orientation. So it's rather like the upper South Tyne. We had 2 Honey-buzzard juveniles: a pale-phase bird moving leisurely SE and a ruddy-brown bird flushed in a woodland. Both are presumed to be Scottish-bred and it's exciting confirmation of the potential of Lake Windermere. The first juvenile to be seen, a pale-phase juvenile came up low at 11:52 over woodland 0.5 km to N of the car ferry on the W side of the Lake, and very slowly gained height following the W side before leisurely crossing the Lake moving SE and disappearing into the slight haze at 11:55. The second one to be seen, the ruddy-brown juvenile was flushed from oak woodland at 13:15 on the western side of the Lake; it flew low through the trees towards thick cover near the Lake and was not seen again. |
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2 Juvenile |
1 SE |
2 Migrant (1 rest, 1 SE) |
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Weather was sunny on a light but cool E breeze. |
we went for long walk on Sawrey side of the Lake, using the chains ferry crossing for there and back. |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Far Sawrey E/Bowness shore (SD39 X) |
54.3423247 |
-2.9474898 |
11/10/2016 |
10:40 |
10:40 |
1 |
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soaring ever higher to W from low-down over the Lake, as seen from the boat from 10:40-10:43; this bird was dark phase and quite heavy in build but the proportions were still Honey-buzzard with long tail, long wings and long neck; after moving W to gain height over hills to W, the bird started moving S purposefully at 10:45 |
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1 Juvenile |
1 S |
1 Migrant |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Windermere Belle Grange |
54.3782682 |
-2.9483176 |
07/07/2010 |
14:00 |
14:00 |
1 |
1 |
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female up from Belle Grange and moving N with ferry for about 5 minutes before coming down in woodland on W side of lake |
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1 Adult Female |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Grisedale SW |
54.5217929 |
-2.9825408 |
25/07/2012 |
12:30 |
16:15 |
2 |
3 |
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amazed at 14:47 seeing medium-sized raptor flapping across Bleaberry Crag at 600m asl, just 2km from summit of Helvellyn (950m). The raptor first flew across the gap to Bleaberry Crag from Grisedale Brow and thought it had gone down into crags with scattered trees but then it reappeared floating majestically above Bleaberry Crag, circling while scanning bleak countryside below, with jizz of a small Golden Eagle. At this point realised that it was a female Honey-buzzard out foraging. At 15:01 a male was seen gliding high down the ridge at Grisedale Brow, where he was intercepted by 2 irate Raven; he disappeared briefly and then turned around, flying back to Bleaberry Crag and not seen again. |
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1 Adult Female, 1 Adult Male |
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rather grey weather but dry and mild and virtually calm |
There's some mature woodland in Grisedale near head of valley at Broomhill Plantation and wood on opposite side of valley with Grisedale Beck in-between, both containing tall stands of Scots Pine. This woodland is 3-4km from Glencoyne Wood, where female seen yesterday. Did see a nest in Scots Pine, which could be Honey-buzzard but not sure and no disturbance permit for closer check. Theoretically it could be the same bird but females don't tend to travel as far as males from their nests, this bird looked attached to the upper valley and it had a gap on its inner secondaries on its right wing and a well-formed tail (1060), while yesterday's female had well-formed wings but a gap in its tail. So this is a different bird and a different site. The male Honey-buzzard could have come up from Glencoyne – it's within permitted foraging distance, but the simpler explanation is that he's an item with the female seen a few minutes earlier! |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Patterdale N/Glenridding |
54.5400112 |
-2.9520653 |
23/07/2012 |
11:15 |
11:15 |
1 |
1 |
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well, at 11:13 had 1st Honey-buzzard of short trip here, a female floating out of Glencoyne Wood, Ullswater, moving W up the water a bit, before soaring and going back into wood(1059). This is a new site for me in this area though know they're into Gowbarrow which is next site to E. Was waiting for ferry to Howtown, from where did 12km walk back to Glenridding. Waiting for ferries seems good tactic in hunting Honey-buzzard in the Lakes, where once had 3 birds up at Windermere! Weather was sunny and warm around Howtown, becoming more overcast towards Patterdale but dry for whole time out. |
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1 Adult Female |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Hagg Wood/Gowbarrow Hall (NY42 F) |
54.576425 |
-2.8910328 |
22/08/2007 |
13:00 |
13:00 |
1 |
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at 13:20 male, soaring to great height over Hagg Wood, then gliding down onto Gowbarrow Park, presumed feeding movement |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Caldbeck (NY33 E) |
54.736647 |
-3.0809239 |
18/10/2009 |
10:20 |
13:30 |
1 |
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at 12:30 juvenile coming over low from NE then moving S at low altitude; drizzle just starting |
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rather gloomy, modertae SW wind, rain coming in later |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilderdale Bridge/Kirkside Wood |
54.8304562 |
-2.4607433 |
22/09/2007 |
09:50 |
12:50 |
6 |
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loose group occupying area, much to annoyance of Common Buzzards; no actual physical interaction but Common Buzzards angrily floating over their wood to block access by the Honey-buzzards. At one time 12 'buzzards' all up in air together in a very confused situation. 30 mins video from here analysed and six juvenile HB flights confirmed; 4 juvs settled to S of wood and 2 to N. Numbers correspond to the 6 juveniles raised in the 3 southernmost site in the South Tyne |
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blustery day up at this altitude with moderate to fresh westerlies, veiled sunshine throughout, dry, cool on tops |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilderdale Bridge/Kirkside Wood |
54.8304562 |
-2.4607433 |
15/06/2008 |
11:00 |
11:00 |
1 |
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migrant moving N very high up at 11:18 |
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N |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilderdale Bridge/Kirkside Wood |
54.8304562 |
-2.4607433 |
22/09/2015 |
14:00 |
14:55 |
1 |
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As approached Alston from Hexham at 14:05, picked up a flock of corvids in an angry swarm over the moorland to SE of Kirkhaugh; such swarms are well worth scanning for a Honey-buzzard juvenile (not adult, as treatment seems to be reserved for juveniles!). On the edge of the swarm was indeed a juvenile Honey-buzzard, dark rufous colour, which drifted towards the Clarghyll mine. This bird was presumed to be a migrant, the 1st juvenile migrant seen this year, but did later check out carefully the Kirkhaugh area for adults as it has been an occasional breeding site in the past. |
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1 Juvenile |
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1 Migrant (resting) |
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it was very sunny at start but clouded over later on with rain stopping play as pulled in briefly at Parson Shields at 16:20; wind was light SW throughout |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilderdale Bridge/Kirkside Wood |
54.8304562 |
-2.4607433 |
10/09/2016 |
14:50 |
16:00 |
7 |
12 |
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Soon after arrival as mist cleared, from 15:06-15:09, had 2 female Honey-buzzard arrive from the N low over the ridge, circle slowly over Ayle Common steadily rising and climb very high into the sky in the base of the thin clouds; the birds then glided off S. Very shortly after, from 15:10-15:11, a male Honey-buzzard appeared over Ayle Common, higher up than the females had been, and carried on moving due S without any soaring to gain height. The final adult migrant was seen at 15:17, with a female soaring over Randalhome, a little to the S, climbing slowly in a narrow column before drifting of to S. At 15:22-15:23 2 Honey-buzzard juveniles came up over Kirkside Wood, keeping much lower than the migrants and after reaching moderate height, came back into the same wood; the slimmer one was brown and the slightly more rugged one dark; these were presumed to have been bred in the wood. They were both seen again, soaring with Common Buzzard, from 15:29-15:43, so looked to be in territory. |
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1 Adult Male, 3 Adult Female, 3 Juvenile |
5 S |
2 Feeding, 5 Migrant |
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cloudy in morning at Alston but sun came out later and as arrived at 14:50 things were warming up nicely on a light S breeze. |
also 17:30-17:50 on return at Gilderdale Bridge. This is another new breeding site for the year at high altitude, though the wood has been used occasionally before by Honey-buzzard. At 15:23 another Honey-buzzard juvenile appeared out of Kirkside Wood and, giving regular thin flight calls (recorded), climbed higher and disappeared to S; this bird was missing P6 on its left wing and was clearly distinctive. |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilderdale Bridge/Kirkside Wood |
54.8304562 |
-2.4607433 |
12/09/2017 |
14:35 |
15:54 |
2 |
12 |
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Last sighting was a little to S of Barhaugh Crags at 14:38-14:39 where had a dark-phase juvenile Honey-buzzard hanging in the breeze, hunting over the edge of the moorland on E side of the fell (7173). Had a brief stop at Gilderdale Bridge from 15:30-15:55 as feeling chilled! At 15:37 picked up a dark-phase juvenile Honey-buzzard coming out of the woods a little to N of Kirkside Wood and moving NW across valley to forage (7174); this, with the one seen from Barhaugh Crags, makes 2 Honey-buzzard juveniles raised at the Kirkside site. |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
08/06/2011 |
14:30 |
16:04 |
1 |
2 |
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after 15 minutes heard a Honey-buzzard calling once, with long call, at fairly close range; did not actually see the bird which is significant as it suggests a pair incubating at this stage of season and thus keeping a low profile. I'll assume the bird was a male as the most likely scenario is the female sitting and the male on a tree nearby giving a low-key warning to her. |
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1 Adult Male |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
25/09/2011 |
13:20 |
15:55 |
1 |
12 |
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At Gilsland wait was longer, indeed from 13:20 to 14:45 before a Honey-buzzard was seen very high up moving slowly S; it then lost its nerve, dived down and disappeared into a field. It resurfaced, then clearly a juvenile, from 15:13-15:18, circling very slowly and moving N to W side of the Spa where it came down. |
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1 Juvenile |
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sunny, moderate SW breeze, mild |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
30/05/2012 |
13:00 |
15:34 |
1 |
5 |
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After a wait of getting on for 2 hours a male up in diving/rearing display at Gilsland from 14:44-14:46 (1023) |
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1 Adult Male |
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not a bad day weather-wise with steamy intermittent sunshine out in far W of area |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
17/09/2012 |
13:35 |
15:35 |
3 |
12 |
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Main focus of day was Irthing Gorge from 13:35-15:35, on W limit of study area, straddling Northumberland-Cumbria county boundary. Here had quite a lot of action: juvenile up weakly over nest site at 14:25, some calls from 2 birds in same area at 14:30, a juvenile at close range coming in from the E at 14:33 and turning low-down to S (1101) and the female in rapid power flight down the valley S at 14:45. View was that there were 3 birds here: female and 2 juveniles. |
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1 Adult Female, 2 Juvenile |
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continuing moderate to fresh NW breeze with sunny spells and brief heavy showers; there were no thermals today for soar-glide. |
Today the birds came out of the woodwork, were much more visible and roaming much more: the end is in sight! |
Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
19/07/2013 |
16:10 |
17:50 |
1 |
1 |
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Had no raptors at Greenhead from 14:30-16:10 but at Gilsland Spa (Irthing Gorge) was finally rewarded at 17:05 with 5 seconds brief view of a male Honey-buzzard rising up into the sky at low altitude, circling once and then descending slowly back into the canopy. No more raptors here by 17:50 |
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1 Adult Male |
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sweltering hot weather, as early cloud burnt off at lunchtime |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
18/09/2013 |
16:45 |
17:50 |
2 |
12 |
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Onto Gilsland Spa from 16:45-17:50 where just after arrival at 16:52 had 2 juveniles in mutual circling over small hill to SE of Hotel; they didn't stay up long in the rain, moving quickly back to the Gorge, but at 17:07 the urge to practice flying re-asserted itself and one of the juveniles was back up over the hill in the drizzle for about 30 seconds. |
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2 Juvenile |
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bright morning but didn't last and forecast of scattered showers was pretty inaccurate as lines of heavy showers from NW came across the Haltwhistle/Gilsland area at 30 minute intervals. But good news was that it didn't affect the Honey-buzzard, which were very active, even in the wet. |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
14/09/2014 |
15:30 |
16:40 |
3 |
12 |
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At 16:15 had a juvenile Honey-buzzard floating over the rough fields to the N of site; at 16:22 another juvenile, a very dark bird, came in from the SW of the site. At 16:25 the female was up very imperiously to see off a Common Buzzard adult, which was displaying stridently over the area. This was a new site for the year as didn't get round to visiting it in the late spring or summer, but it's a regular site so will count! |
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1 Adult Female, 2 Juvenile |
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Continued fieldwork with trip out mid-afternoon to catch clearance in extreme west of study area. Worked a treat with the sun breaking through as made Tipalt at 14:25, although cooler than of late in light NE breeze. |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
09/06/2015 |
13:15 |
14:25 |
1 |
5 |
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At Gilsland Spa at 14:03 a male Honey-buzzard was seen doing butterfly display at moderate altitude to N of the Irthing Valley; at 14:12 he was still up, floating this time, apparently towards edge of Border Forest but near end he was slowly descending and looked to be heading back towards the Gorge. |
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1 Adult Male |
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Well away from North Sea on NE breeze, it was quite warm with plenty of cloud and no rain; when the sun came out, temperatures rose quickly. |
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Y |
| Honey-buzzard |
Pernis apivorus |
Gilsland Spa/village |
54.9916642 |
-2.5876229 |
09/09/2015 |
13:40 |
15:20 |
2 |
14 |
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On to Gilsland Spa, where the woods are owned by the Woodland Trust. Here a male was up at 14:10, floating over the site at height before moving 800m to the E and coming back in low; he was carrying food so clearly dependent young still at this site. Another Honey-buzzard, also a male, flew S just to W of Gilsland at 14:00, gliding fast at right-angles to the wind, using ridge (orographic) lift for speed. You do sometimes get migrants on the sunnier side of the murk, maybe pushed a little further W than usual in this case. |
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2 Adult Male |
1 S |
1 Feeding, 1 Migrant |
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Again I was on the edge of the murk, which today stretched further W to Haltwhistle, but it was sunny intervals on a cool E breeze where I was doing the fieldwork. |
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Y |