Study Area 2015

Intensive Site Visits: 10 selected sites

Round 1 26/6-2/8: nest trees Scots Pine 6, Norway Spruce 2, Oak 2; birds recorded male 5, female 8, total adult 13.

Round 2 16/8-8/9: occupied 10, failed 0; found fledged 6x2 2x1+ 2x>0; birds recorded adult male 4, adult female 7, juvenile 14, total 25.

Breeding: Totals to 27/9, all sites

Display period: 21/4-20/6 37 sites (27 male, 22 female: 49 total)

Sitting/Rearing period: 21/6-14/8 28 sites (17 male, 17 female: 34 total)

Fledging period: 15/8-27/9 55 sites (34 male, 31 female, 92 juvenile: 157 total)

Gangs of juveniles: 24/9-28/9 2 gangs (9 juvenile): Newburn W (Tyne Valley E) 3 birds 24/9; Bywell (Tyne Valley W) 6 birds 28/9.

Study Area 2015: Migrants

Spring: Totals none

Autumn: Totals 6/9 to 18/10

2 male SE from sites Ordley/Dotland (Hexhamshire) 6/9; 1 male S from site Hexham (Tyne Valley W) 7/9; 1 male S Gilsland (Tipalt/Irthing) 9/9; 1 male S Minsteracres (Derwent) 10/9; 1 female SW Studdon Park (Allen) 19/9; 1 male SW Sinderhope N (Allen) 19/9; 1 juvenile rest Kirkhaugh (upper South Tyne) 22/9; 1 juvenile SE Newburn (Tyne Valley E) 24/9; 2 juvenile SW Beldon Burn (Derwent) 27/9; 1 male SW from site Riddlehamhope (Derwent) 27/9; 1 juvenile rest Melkridge (lower South Tyne) 14/10; 1 juvenile rest Haltwhistle (upper South Tyne) 14/10; 1 juvenile rest Newburn (Tyne Valley E) 15/10; 1 juvenile rest Bywell (Tyne Valley W) 18/10.

Out of Study Area 2015

Italy, Tuscany (24/5-31/5): Barbialla Nuova, between Corazzano and Montaione, 5 sites occupied in area 25/5: 1 male butterfly display, 1 pair mutual circling, 1 pair in chase with excited long calls, 1 male up high twice and flushed from ground at 20m, 1 male high circling, total 5 male, 2 female.

2 sites occupied 26/5: 1 pair mutual circling (new site), 1 male high circling (not new). 27/5 1 male high circling (not new). 28/5 1 female flushed (new bird). 29/5-31/5 none seen as settled down to nest.

Summary: 6 sites occupied, display seen at all; 6 male, 4 female.

south England (14/6-21/6): male in flap-flap-glide, Donnington, Berkshire Downs 14/6; pair in active display, Sutton Scotney, Hampshire Downs 14/6; pair in mutual circling, Wilmingham, Wight Downs 15/6; female floating, Brading Downs, Wight Downs 16/6; male high circling, Yarmouth S, Wight W coast 17/6; female forage, male butterfly display, Osborne House, East Cowes, Wight NE coast 18/6; male float, Parkhurst Plantation, Wight Downs 19/6; female forage, Minstead Lane, New Forest 20/6.

Summary: 8 sites occupied with 1 site Berkshire Downs, 1 site Hampshire Downs, 1 site New Forest, 5 sites Isle of Wight with 3 on downs, 2 on coast. Total 11 birds (6 male, 5 female). Display at 7 sites.

Jordan (18/7-26/7): no European or Crested Honey-buzzard seen.

North Yorkshire (8/8, 14/8): female foraging over stubble field, Tadcaster SE 8/8; newly-fledged juvenile up over stubble field, Fenwick 14/8.

London SW (9/8): male soaring high and drifting E, Richmond Park.

South Downs (10/8-14/8): female with 2 newly-fledged juveniles, Havant Thicket 11/8; male with newly-fledged juvenile, Havant Thicket 13/8; total of 4 birds seen here – adult male, adult female, 2 juvenile. Brings number of sites found occupied this season in Hampshire/IoW to 8.

Gateshead (14/8): adult female floating over area SE of Dunston, presumed from Hill Head Wood.

Scotland, Tayside (14/9-17/9): single juvenile floating at 3 sites close to Dunkeld; one of the juveniles migrated S after considerable procrastination 16/9; another juvenile, further N, floating in Rotmell area 17/9.

Summary: 4 sites occupied in Dunkeld area, with single juveniles at each.

Devon, East (30/9-4/10): 2 juvenile foraging near Yettington 2/10; 1 juvenile SW at Sidmouth 3/10.

London SW/W (28/10-2/11): none.

Ireland Cork/Wexford (7/11-14/11): juvenile foraging Rathmacknee, Co Wexford 12/11.