Honey-buzzard in Britain

Pictures from Study Area, SW Northumberland 2009-2012

Pernis apivorus, Honey Buzzard

Nick Rossiter (nick.rossiter1 at btinternet.com)

News 2024

24/03/24 Osprey arrival: 1st seen, an adult at the nest site at Hexham NE, overlooking the Tyne.

16/04/24 Black Kite arrival: 1st seen, gliding behind wood to NE at Bywell.

04/05/24: Honey-buzzard arrival: male up with Black Kite at Ordley.

11/05/24: Hobby arrival: pair in display at Towsbank.

31/05/24: Black Kite largely arrived with 23 birds at 14 sites; Honey-buzzard still arriving with 20 birds at 12 sites; Hobby still arriving with 3 birds at 2 sites; Osprey pair settled at their one site; 3 Goshawk have been seen at 2 sites; 15 Red Kite have been seen at 11 sites.

07/06/24: Black Kite settling down to breed with 26 birds at 15 sites; Honey-buzzard settling down to breed with 30 birds at 19 sites; Hobby still displaying with 5 birds at 3 sites; Osprey pair settled at their one site; 3 Goshawk have been seen at 2 sites; 16 Red Kite have been seen at 12 sites.

16/06/24: Black Kite have settled down to breed with 28 birds at 16 sites; Honey-buzzard have settled down to breed with 34 birds at 22 sites; Hobby still displaying with 7 birds at 4 sites; Osprey pair ongoing at their one site; 4 Goshawk have been seen at 3 sites; 16 Red Kite have been seen at 12 sites.

30/06/24: Black Kite may have young now with 29 birds at 16 sites; Honey-buzzard are sitting tight with 36 birds at 24 sites; Hobby have settled to breed with 8 birds at 5 sites; Osprey presumed ongoing; 4 Goshawk have been seen at 3 sites; 21 Red Kite have been seen at 17 sites, becoming more visible with young in nest.

16/07/24: mid-season lull: Black Kite overall with 30 birds at 17 sites, since 8/6 6 sites found to be occupied by 9 birds; Honey-buzzard overall with 39 birds at 25 sites, since 17/6 7 sites found to be occupied by 9 birds; Hobby have settled to breed with 9 birds at 6 sites; Osprey are ongoing; 4 Goshawk have been seen at 3 sites; 26 Red Kite have been seen at 21 sites.

31/07/24: for Black Kite synchronised fledging around 19/7-21/7 with 13 young and 11 adult seen at 9 sites in 2nd half of month. Honey-buzzard as usual maintain a low profile in rearing phase with just 10 birds (8 male, 2 female) seen at 8 sites since 17/6.

10/08/24: Black Kite have had a fantastic season with 21+ young raised at 13 sites so far. Honey-buzzard are becoming more conspicuous as fledging nears with 11 sites now found to be occupied in the rearing phase. Osprey have raised 1+ young at their site overlooking the Tyne near Hexham.

25/08/24: 34 Black Kite adult have been noted at 18 sites, fledging 26+ young, dispersal is now in progress. 41 Honey-buzzard adult (25 male, 16 female) have been noted at 26 sites with 10+ young at 7 sites, just starting to fly above the canopy. 2 Osprey adult have raised 1+ young at their site overlooking the Tyne near Hexham. No Hobby young seen yet and Goshawk have not been sighted recently. Red Kite have strongholds on the moors of Derwent, parts of Hexhamshire and the upper South Tyne.

31/08/24: Black Kite adults have dispersed but juveniles are still in natal areas in many cases. 41 Honey-buzzard adult (25 male, 16 female) have been noted at 27 occupied sites with 22+ young at 16 sites, adults beginning to leave and juveniles becoming stronger-flying. Osprey last seen on 26/8. No Hobby young seen yet and Goshawk have not been sighted recently. Red Kite away from moorland areas are inconspicuous.

07/09/24: Black Kite juveniles are lingering in many natal areas. 41 Honey-buzzard adult (25 male, 16 female) have been noted at 28 occupied sites with 30+ young at 19 sites, many adults have left, juveniles are foraging in their territories. No Hobby young seen yet and Goshawk have not been sighted recently. Harris’s Hawk probably bred in West Dipton Burn where adult and juvenile seen in late August.

15/09/24: Black Kite juveniles are still lingering in some natal areas. 42 Honey-buzzard adult (25 male, 17 female) have been noted at 31 occupied sites with 41+ young at 26 sites, adults have left along with some juveniles but some are still foraging in their territories. Hobby have raised 1+ young at one site, Towsbank, on 11/9 with no young seen at 5 others occupied earlier. An adult Goshawk male was at one site, Towsbank, on 11/9 but no young seen. Eight types of raptor were at Towsbank on 11/9.

The main aim is to write a book on Honey-buzzard, using my experience in British Isles, continental Europe and Africa, dating from 1993

The main aim in the new season is to write a book on Honey-buzzard, using my experience in British Isles, continental Europe and Africa, dating from 1993. Field work in 2024 in Northumberland will complement this task, filling in gaps and reinforcing findings. No lengthy trips are in mind abroad for 2024, with concentration on the study area and on writing up the two major foreign trips to Georgia (including Batumi) and Kenya in 2023.

Broad headings for book are: Motivation, Historical Records, Rediscovery in Britain, Migration Patterns, Arrival and Display, Breeding Activity, Habitat, Dispersal, Wintering Grounds, Four Identification Models, Value of Field Experience, Further Studies, Bibliography


Quick Links (right-click on image to view in new tab)

Pictures 4003 02/05/2014

Pictures 4007 14/05/2014

Pictures 4040 06/06/2014

Pictures 9006 09/05/2019, 9017 21/05/2019




Pictures 4030 03/06/2014

Pictures 4060 05/09/2014

Pictures 9021 22/05/2019, 9001 28/04/2019

Pictures 10005 02/05/2020

Video of Honey-buzzard

Hexhamshire, Northumberland, 8090 09/07/2018 The birds were vociferous at the start with both male and female up in the air over the nest, giving excited anxiety and anger calls. Took 3 clips of 3-5 minutes each, so very productive. Clip 1 shows the male over the nest at 17:24 with continual anxiety calls and derived snapshots here 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11. Clip 2 shows the male over the nest at 17:31 keeping quiet after start of clip with derived snapshots here 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11. Clip 3 shows the male and female over the nest at 17:43 with much anger and anxiety calling, with derived snapshots here 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13.

Hexhamshire, Northumberland, 857 13/07/2011 in flight and perched with stills 1  2  3  4  5.

Hexhamshire, Northumberland, 9021 22/05/2019 dispute between 2 male with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19.

Hexhamshire, Northumberland, 640 18/06/2010, anger, anxiety, whimpering calls, Ordley, 18 June 2010, two high-definition mp4 clips part 1  part 2. One of the birds above the canopy on part 2 at 4:45-4:55 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6.

Ireland, Rathmacknee, Co Wexford, 12 Nov 2015, juvenile feed in field Ref: 5900/1112, long video clip and stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15. Id points are the horizontal stance with attenuated appearance including the long tail projecting beyond the primary tips, the small head with very noticeable pale yellow cere and the coarse barring on the tail (4 broad bars, including subterminal, slides 3,4) and remiges (4 broad bars, slides 6, 8, 9) and extensive black on primary tips.

Devon, Aylesbeare Common, 15 June 2014, male up in hanging mode at Aylesbeare Common, in fine weather. Here's clip with stills (4100) 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11.

Study Area 2023

The pattern of fieldwork will continue this year with a concentration on filling in gaps and reinforcing findings. No nest site visits will be done this year. Habitat recording in a 2 x 2km square around the nest is actively underway, starting in winter 2022 with 36 sites assessed by end April 2023: all 6 in Hexhamshire, all 10 in the Allen, all 8 in Tyne Valley W, all 8 in Tyne Valley E, 4 in upper South Tyne. The Black Kite colonisation will be actively monitored. The book is under way with habitat data a vital part of the scientific assessment.

Intensive Site Visits: none this year











Breeding: Running Totals to 15/9 (all data compiled)

Total Sites

Male

Female

Total Adult

Sites Occupied Fledging

Total Juvenile

29

27

16

43

5

5+ (2x1+, 3>0)



Display period: 30/4-16/6 28 site (24 male, 14 female: 38 total)

Sitting/Rearing period: 17/6-19/8 5 site (5 male, 2 female: 7 total)

Fledging period: 20/8-15/9 5 site (2 male, 2 female, 2+ juvenile, 3+ juvenile inferred: 9 total)

Gangs of juveniles:

Study Area 2024

The pattern of fieldwork will continue this year with a concentration on the study area, reinforcing findings. No lengthy trips are in mind abroad for 2024 No nest site visits will be done this year. Habitat recording in a 2 x 2km square around the nest is actively underway, starting in winter 2022 with 36 sites assessed by end April 2023. It is hoped at least to finish the upper South Tyne in 2024. The book is under way with habitat data a vital part of the scientific assessment. The Black Kite colonisation will be actively monitored.

Intensive Site Visits: none this year











Breeding: Running Totals to 15/9 (all data compiled)

Total Sites

Male

Female

Total Adult

Sites Occupied Fledging

Total Juvenile

31

25

17

42

26

41 (15x2, 2x1, 9x1+)



Display period: 4/5-16/6 22 site (21 male, 13 female: 34 total)

Sitting/Rearing period: 17/6-18/8 10 site (10 male, 3 female: 13 total)

Fledging period: 19/8-15/9 26 site (9 male, 8 female, 41 juvenile: 58 total)

Gangs of juveniles:



Study Area Report 2012 with Appendix containing hyperlinked field observations

Honey-buzzard Movement in Britain in Autumn 2000

Honey-buzzard Movement in Britain in Autumn 2008

Season 2013 – Summary

Season 2014 – Summary

Season 2015 – Summary

Season 2016 – Summary

Season 2017 – Summary

Season 2018 – Summary

Season 2019– Summary

Season 2020– Summary

Season 2021– Summary

Season 2022Summary

News 2022

Honey-buzzard Migrants are British Born and Bred

Review of Record Committee's Review of Honey-buzzard Records in Northumberland 2003-2005 in six parts Review 1-6

Misidentification of Juvenile Honey-buzzard

National Honey-buzzard Survey 2020-2021:

Survey work NR 2020 S/SE study area Report 2020

Survey work NR 2021 SW study area Report 2021

Talks to Hexham Rotary Club on Climate:

The Many Shades of Green (February 2020) pdf

Lies, Damned Lies and Modelling (March 2023) pdf



Medley of Calls of Honey-buzzard in Northumberland

Listen to a great variety of Calls and see their spectrograms.

Clip 640 with anger, anxiety, whimpering calls, Ordley, 18 June 2010, two high-definition mp4 clips part 1  part 2. One of the birds above the canopy on part 2 at 4:45-4:55 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6.

Clip 4007: the mating (wailing) call of the Honey-buzzard, Staward, Allen, 14 May 2014, audio 1.

Clip 4050: single Honey-buzzard call followed immediately by Hobby alarm calls, March Burn, 4 July 2014, video 1.

Clip 4055: sharp Honey-buzzard alarm calls 1 as entered site; had the same calls 3 on exit as birds came back, East Allen, 15 July 2014.

Clips 4059: all presumed from female, alarm, almost whimpering at time 1 (14:59, calls 26-38s 71-83s 150-159s, also faint Common Buzzard juvenile hunger cries 56s), anger+alarm 2 (14:25, calls 12s 25s-272s), anger+alarm 3 (14:31, calls throughout the 97s), anger+alarm 4 (14:34, calls throughout the 14s). Kellas, Derwent, 3 September 2014.

Play many more Videos

Clip 1201 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8, juvenile mobbed by 3 Hooded Crow, The Raven, Co Wexford, 7 Nov 2013

Clip 4003 (Farnley, Northumberland, 2 May 2014, pair in territory): 2 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18, showing male (damaged inner primary on right wing, missing inner primary on left wing) in extensive gliding around in territory, with effortless rearing up and strength in the air, the female does some mutual circling near the end (more on Videos page).

Clip 4007 (Staward S, Northumberland, 14 May 2014, male overhead): 1 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 and stills taken during videoing 10  11  12  13  14  15. Think he's been back a while and is a little lovesick for his mate, of whom no sign. Had some interesting calls as he appeared overhead: mating call of the Honey-buzzard (really!!) with real jungle overtones, but he's not apparently got a mate yet, wonder if it came from pair at Staward N, if so means both birds back here now. Here's the extracted audio clip 1: the mating (wailing) call of the Honey-buzzard.

Clip 4040 (Wylam, Northumberland, 6 June 2014, male overhead): 1 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12 and stills taken during the videoing 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13.

Clip 4060 (Eals, Northumberland, 5 September 2014) 1 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15, showing the pair in full display and recording the calls of the Jay and juvenile Honey-buzzard, and 2nd clip 2 with derived stills 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15 showing the male up on his own.

See a lot more Stills



Study Area 2023: Migrants

Spring: Totals

Male

Female

Juvenile

Total

0

0

N/A

0









Autumn: Totals

Male

Female

Juvenile

Total

0

0

1

1

A juvenile up over the nest site at Ordley from 13:31-13:33 climbing fairly high, probably a Scottish bird, on 1/10 (Devil's Water).

Study Area 2024: Migrants

Spring: Totals

Male

Female

Juvenile

Total

0

0

N/A

0



None observed





Autumn: Totals

Male

Female

Juvenile

Total

2

1

0

3

At Dipton Wood main a male was up over the site at moderate altitude at 12:25, before moving off to S on migration, but no other birds seen.(Tyne Valley W)

The male left the Farnley/Prospect Hill site at 13:45 on 31/8 by soaring high and moving S (Tyne Valley W).

A family group of female and 2 juvenile soaring high into the sky at 13:11 on 4/9 at Shilford, the female well above, the 2 juvenile together below – flying practice for going to Africa! Think the female left the scene – bye kids! (Tyne Valley W).

Out of Study Area 2023

Dumfries (18/7-21/7): none.

Munich, Germany, via Amsterdam (25/7-31/7): none.

Liverpool (7/8-11/8): none.

Georgia (23/8-13/9): Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, many thousands, detailed report to follow.

Devon (18/9-23/9): 22/9 Challaborough, a Honey-buzzard juvenile flying W at 11:09 using a large stoop followed by rearing up to progress.

North Yorkshire (28/9): Shipton by Beningbrough, a juvenile flying S at low altitude in flap-flap-glide motion.

Kenya (10/12-28/12): Nairobi, Masai Mara, Mombasa, was provisionally none but extensive footage undergoing analysis has revealed so far a male at Mara on 18/12.

Out of Study Area 2024

Budapest (19/6-24/6): none

Oxford (11/8-16/8): none

Hertfordshire (16/8-18/8): Welwyn N, a female Honey-buzzard gliding over suitable habitat







Some Recent changes:



17th January 2022: Closed Notice Board 2021, opened Notice Board 2022.

24th April 2022: Reorganised home page so that personal efforts in the National Honey-buzzard Survey are preserved (Report 2020, Report 2021)

13th June 2022: Added Trip Report for Kenya visit in January 2021 (Kenya 2021)

3rd October 2022: Added Trip Report for Crete visit in April 2022 (Crete 2022)

16th October 2022: Added Trip Report for Chamonix, France, visit in August 2022 (Chamonix 2022)

14th November 2022: Updated Black Kite page with breeding and migration data for SW Northumberland in 2022: rapid colonisation in progress (Population of the Black Kite in Northumberland)

17th November 2022: Updated Hobby page with disappointing results for SW Northumberland in 2022 (Population of the Hobby in SW Northumberland).

22nd November 2022: Updated Goshawk page, a perplexing season, for SW Northumberland in 2022 (Population of the Goshawk in SW Northumberland).

18th December 2022: Updated Red Kite page with disappointing productivity results for SW Northumberland in 2022 (Population of the Red Kite in SW Northumberland).

15th January 2023: Updated Honey-buzzard page with breeding and migration data, core area maintained with usual high productivity, conspicuous migration in mid-September, for SW Northumberland in 2022 (Population of the Honey-buzzard in SW Northumberland).

11th February 2023: Added Trip Report for Marciac, France, visit in July 2022 (Marciac 2022).

22nd February 2023: Closed Notice Board 2022, opened Notice Board 2023.

22nd March 2023: Added Talks to Hexham Rotary Club on Climate: The Many Shades of Green (February 2020) pdf; Lies, Damned Lies and Modelling (March 2023) pdf.

4th April 2023: Added Trip Report for Tarifa, Spain, visit in September 2021 (Tarifa 2021).

30th December 2023: Updated Hobby page with resilient results for SW Northumberland in 2023 (Population of the Hobby in SW Northumberland).

1st January 2024: Updated Goshawk page, poor productivity for second year running, for SW Northumberland in 2023 (Population of the Goshawk in SW Northumberland).

7th January 2024: Added Osprey page, first breeding on a river system in SW Northumberland, in 2023 (Population of the Osprey in SW Northumberland).

7th January 2024: Updated Red Kite page with historical introduction back to earliest records (Population of the Red Kite in SW Northumberland).

13th January 2024: Updated Black Kite page with breeding data for SW Northumberland in 2023: fantastic colonisation continues (Population of the Black Kite in Northumberland)

21st January 2024: Updated Red Kite page with perplexing results for 2023 (Population of the Red Kite in SW Northumberland).

4th February 2024: Updated Honey-buzzard page with breeding data, for SW Northumberland in 2023: core area maintained numbers-wise with productivity unknown due to observer absence (Population of the Honey-buzzard in SW Northumberland).

7th February 2024: Updated Honey-buzzard page with migration data, for SW Northumberland in 2023 (Population of the Honey-buzzard in SW Northumberland).

16th June 2024: Updated Sussex page with Walpole-Bond’s account of the Honey-buzzard, making comparisons with historical Northumberland (Sussex).

25th June 2024: Updated London page with a breeding record from 2022 (London).

Earlier modifications: Updates

Original papers with additional pointers:

Honey-buzzard Movement in Britain in Autumn 2000

Additional Information on this Honey-buzzard movement from: Britain/North Sea   Scandinavia   Continental Europe   Migration Strategy   Ringing Data for Raptors   Replies to Comments on UKBN   Views on the 2000 Movement in 2002-03

Honey-buzzard Movement in Britain in Autumn 2008

Other Aspects of Honey-buzzard:

Trends in Honey-buzzard Movements Analysis  Charts  by Month   2012   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007   2006    2005   2004   2003   2002   2001   2000   1999   1998   1996

Identification of Honey-buzzard   Videos with derived stills and calls    Calls  Jizz   Plumage   Bare parts   Moult   Tail-wing ratio    Wing formula    Earlier material

Summary of Calls of Honey-buzzard    Medley of Calls from Northumberland

Food Remains on Ground

The Honey-buzzard in Northumberland Population   Techniques  Habitat   Current Notice Board    Report 2011   Report 2012 with Appendix containing hyperlinked field observations   Distribution by month of records for Honey-buzzard 2013 with comparison with Common Buzzard    Colour-phases in Juveniles

Presentations Tynemouth Photographic Society Nov 2010 odp  ppt

Populations Elsewhere of Honey-buzzard Scotland   Ireland   Hampshire   Devon   Cornwall   Isle of Wight  Sussex   Buckinghamshire  Greater London Cumbria/north Lancashire/Yorkshire Dales  Notts  North Wales  Africa

Other Raptors in Northumberland Hobby   Goshawk  Red Kite  Black Kite  Osprey   Annual Totals all Raptors

All raptors: Historical

References to Honey-buzzard Information

(c) Copyright Nick Rossiter 2000-2024

Further Pages: Yellow-legged Gulls  African Gulls  African Raptors  Ethiopian Raptors  Kenya 2021  Tarifa 2021  Indian Raptors  Crete Raptors 2008  Crete 2022  Italy Raptors  Chamonix 2022   Marciac 2022  Home Page on BT

CEIS, Northumbria University: Former Reader  Visiting Research Fellow