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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 2025 in Northumberland will complement this task, filling in gaps and reinforcing findings. 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. The initial costs of publishing the book in hard copy, running to perhaps 250pp, are well within my means. Some supplementary material may be published online.
Highlights of year from Honey-buzzard home page at https://nickrossiter.org.uk/hbweb/index.html:
The last NB can be found here. Welcome to the new Noticeboard, for 2026!
March 28th: maximum 9C, minimum 2C, moderate W, sunny intervals, bracing wind. At Wylam E had 12 Goosander (9 ad male, 3 redhead) and at Hexham NE around noon had an Osprey flying low NE towards its site. At Ordley at 14:10 had 2 Common Buzzard (1 over site, 1 hunting in my field), 2 agitated Lapwing and 2 Greenfinch. Welcome return to DoW4g4s where met D/D/C/D 4 good chat. XXXX!!
March 27th: maximum 9C, minimum -1C, moderate NW, sunny, bracing wind. Made Westerhope to pick up Ag spoon bought at A&G’s sale this week. Then into Wylam for birdwatching from the Tyne Bridge, with break at BH4st4l with A from the G and his former workmates. Had another Black Kite in distance to E during afternoon and a Common Buzzard much closer near the old hospital. A Sand Martin was feeding over the Tyne, a Little Egret and a Grey Heron were on a bank and 4 Goosander (2 pairs) were fishing the Tyne. Left car at WYM and got train to NCL where checked into 4PtF. Concert had star pianist Stephen Hough in Brahms PC1, marvellous to watch. Beethoven 7 was the other work, brilliantly and enthusiastically played by all, particularly the woodwind. Day ended on a crescendo with the gorgeous one: she’s so beautiful: lok2tbcp: XXXXXX!!!! Funds finished the week -33k (after 1k withdrawal) with profit taking in North Sea oil stocks on disappointment with Milliband’s reckless ideology.
March 26th: maximum 8C, minimum -1C, light W, sunny morning, cloudy later, light shower in evening; brightness and much less wind made it feel much better outside. A great day with visit to Bywell midday yielding first 2 Black Kite of season, up over Cottagebank and Tofts Hill, as singles: gr8 to see them back. An Osprey at Tofts Hill in territory was another impressive sight. Also had 4 pairs of Common Buzzard: Cottagebank (two), Peepy and Tofts Hill plus a pair of Red Kite at Tofts Hill; one of the latter was dived at aggressively by the Black Kite. Also had a Sand Martin N and first Linnet of the year, in total of 19 types with also 4 Skylark, 45 Common Gull (44 ad, 1 ad), and a Grey Wagtail S. Celebrated at QHC4s4l where gr8 service and food as usual! Made G4g4s with the gang plus R, with L/L on!! XXXX!!
March 25th: maximum 8C, minimum -1C, moderate NW, sunny spells, bitterly cold in the wind, occasional hail showers. Not out today, saving energy for later in the week. Working on the Costa Rica remaining day to process: 14/10 with the big raptor migration at Cahuita. Had 10 types of raptor in the first hour! Next up is the second hour. Busier 2moro with some fieldwork in morning, lunch out and the G! XXXX!!
March 24th: maximum 13C, minimum 2C, moderate SW, cloudy morning, heavy driving rain afternoon. Fieldfare passage continued with 65 N at Ordley in the morning. Attended Ag sale at A&G on the Internet, securing one item, a Chard trefid spoon 1698. Also bought a Salisbury seal-top spoon c1630 at an online shop. Had Westall around to survey my upstairs shower; later they said they’d send around their bathroom designer with appointment fixed for next Tuesday. Made QHC4s4t, bit late, after all this activity. Then home to complete the UAE report, now published as below. Funds are -47k as profit-taking sets in; I’m doing the same!
Published Trip Report for UAE (mainly Dubai) visits in Oct/Dec 2024 (Dubai 2024)
March 23rd: maximum 11C, minimum 8C, moderate SW, cloudy, dry except for a few spots late-on. Made R4m4l where had a rather anodyne talk on the Israeli/Palestinian problem! Then made C4c4ll. Back home to get ready for cleaner S, than out to Slaley Forest Ladycross for a walk from 17:30-19:10 into the darkness on the moorland edge. Had 115 Fieldfare NE/E, 20 Redwing, 11 Meadow Pipit, 36 Common Gull, all migrants on the move, some to Scotland, most to Norway. Total was 14 bird-types, including a Tawny Owl on a fence. Major event was completing Dubai piccie processing, thus finishing 2024 record handling completely. Will complete a page dedicated to 2 Dubai visits in 2024 as the Oriental Honey-buzzard and gull records should be highlighted somewhere. Made G4g4s with the gang, with E/L on!! Satisfaction later with the beautiful fancied one: lok2thpo: XXXXXX!!!!
March 22nd: maximum 10C, minimum -1C, light NW, cloudy until late afternoon when sun broke through. Visited Hexham Tyne Green/Hexham NE in afternoon where had major first highlight for season of 2 Osprey displaying around 15:30 over the Tyne to E of Tyne Bridge; this is the first News item of 2026 on the home page. Had 18 bird-types here, not as rich as Alnmouth! No other birds of prey were seen in the cool conditions. Had a marvellous sight at Ordley earlier of 50 Common Gull (with 5 Black-headed Gull), kettling to the NE: Norway here we come! Made G4g4s with the gang, with E on!! Black Kite are on their way with recent records from BirdGuides:
22/03 10:41 Northamptonshire : Black Kite, Evenley two reported at Evenly Woods with Red Kites and Common Buzzards (three reported yesterday) viewed from main entrance before car park late morning [R]
20/03 13:00 East Sussex : Black Kite, Rye probable circling above town (12:52) [?]
20/03 13:35 Kent : Black Kite, Tenterden one flew north-west early afternoon (13:11)
12:00 19/03 Black Kite Kent South Foreland 11:59 one flew north over South Foreland Valley towards Deal with 4 Common Buzzards
5/3-11/3 Eurobirdnet 1 Black Kite in Sussex
12/3-18/3 Eurobirdnet 1 Black Kite in Yorkshire
18:31 28/02 Black Kite Kent Wye 16:45 one over Coldharbour Lane
March 21st: maximum 16C, minimum 1C, light NW, sunny all day, another lovely spring day. A Chiffchaff was singing at home and some Kittiwake have returned to the Quayside to breed: it’s a lovely time of year. Left 4PtF after gr8 breakfast, catching the train back to HEX. Had restful afternoon in garden, loving the warm sunshine, in shorts for first time this year. Highlight of day was The Soldier’s Tale by Stravinsky in H2 at Sage. This had a top cast, including Toby Jones as narrator and Scott Turnbull as the soldier, with 7 marvellous players from RNS. It was lively throughout with a dark plot, involving the Devil! Stayed for drink and lively chat with 3 other partners L, M, J. Later on, someone looked stunning, so tempting: lok2tbcp: the gorgeous one: XXXXXX!!!
March 20th: maximum 16C, minimum 4C, light W, sunny all day, lovely spring day. Busy day. Off to Alnmouth by high-speed train for birdwatching on salt marshes, getting 43 bird-types, 2 butterfly-types, 1 mammal-type. Great to see so many ducks and waders. A flock of 39 Whooper Swan N was the highlight. Details to follow. Back to hotel for tea, b4 out to Pani’s to meet L 4 dinner, b4 making TR for Peter Grimes. Plenty of famous people in the music world there: LC from ON, DS from RNS, F from Sage. Performance was very dark but very satisfying with the gravitas moments done better than at Leeds with tension maintained without dragging. Dashed off to see the gorgeous one: she’s so beautiful: lok2tbcp: XXXXXXXX!!!! Funds are still being worked on, definitely up but profit-taking was more fierce today than anticipated. Final figure on week was +35k with 27.1% of total in bonds and 8.5% in cash. The general market as measured by the ftse 100 is now about 10% off its recent high and still looks unattractive in view of our idiotic energy policy.
March 19th: maximum 12C, minimum 5C, light NE, cloudy, cool. Had good lunch at QHC4s4l with M, followed by organ recital at Abbey. Had ANPA Zoom session at 17:00 for 40 min: keeping the show on the road! Start of mini opera season, making TR for Opera North receptions x2; good to meet Opera North reps E/L/B again. Show was Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro: seen in Leeds a few months ago: this was more relaxed and smoother, very good!! Went with L: she’s staying at same hotel 4PtF but out late on own. She’s so passionate and hot: lok2tbcp: XXXXXX!!!! Funds are at record today on rise in gas prices! Expecting some profit taking tomorrow.
March 18th: maximum 17C, minimum 3C, light E, sunny spells, dry, not quite so nice as yesterday. Did a complete bird record for Ordley getting 22 bird-types, plus 2 mammal-types: Grey Squirrel and mole. A quiet day at home after Tuesday’s good time.
March 17th: maximum 15C, minimum 5C, moderate SW, sunny, dry. Breeze is affecting comfort but a lovely spring day! Completed labelling of all piccies for Abu Dhabi 28/12/2024, including the large gulls, which sorted in QHL. Gr8 2 c someone again!!! Had eye-test at SS in HEX; first in 3 years; more correction needed on short sight; long sight is still good; eyes are healthy; spent £290 on the full test, new varifocals and new reading glasses, delivered in 2 weeks. Made HA in evening 4 concert with L by Handel Players: very high quality playing with plenty of Bach and Handel. Made B4rw4s, meeting P there. Completed evening in ‘Shire with passion: lok2tsyo!! Main memory of day is tmfo!!! Funds are +9k wtd with cash at 867k after continual sales of North Sea oilies. Gain ytd is +693k (16.2%, gross). First butterfly of the year: a Small Tortoiseshell in Elvaston.
March 16th: maximum 10C, minimum 3C, moderate SW, cloudy, light showers in afternoon. Made R at Cnt4m4l followed by C4c4ll, getting indulgent! Resized most of piccies for Abu Dhabi but am still finalising the id of the large gulls: it’s quite a complex area. So 2moro hope to publish the piccies not of gulls and to finalise the gull id! The large-gull scene is complicated by the presence of gulls from a wide area in the winter from NE Europe, the Middle East, Siberia, the Steppes, and even NE Asia. Late-on made G4g4s with the gang and E on!! Missing tmfo: XXXX!!
March 15th: maximum 10C, minimum 1C, moderate SW, sunny intervals, showers. Interesting journey back: a taxi Welwyn to Stevenage, 2 buses – to Hitchin and then to St Neots, a Thameslink train St Neots to Peterborough, a real LNER train from Peterborough to Newcastle but via coast from York to NCL; a slight blessing was HEX train was a few minutes after arrival in NCL so whole journey took from 10:45-18:00! Had plenty of Red Kite, plus 1 Common Buzzard, up to Sandy but none afterwards as weather got worse and had poor views from LNER train. Had quick supper. Then off to G4g4s with the gang, with E/L on!! Completed labelling of piccies for 29/12/2024 Abu Dhabi; need to check carefully and index to complete the whole UAE adventures over 2 visits. XXXX!!
March 14th: maximum 10C, minimum 3C, light SW, sunny all day. Went to Red Lion pub for lunch with son and daughter’s family, so 6 of us there for good meal in Hatfield. Then we made Hatfield Park for a good walk of over an hour around the extensive grounds, with beautiful woodland and amazing daffodils. Main birds were a Common Buzzard, 4 Red Kite displaying here, a pair up nearer the motorway on leaving Hatfield by Uber and 4 up displaying at Welwyn S, back at son’s place later. So very good day of family reunion. Daughter’s family move house in Kingston in April, buying a £3.5m mansion! They did well in completely exiting Dubai last year, with £2.5m for their house there. Daughter has sold her flat in Kingston, which I helped her buy before she got married. Back 2moro by bus and train.
March 13th: maximum 10C, minimum 4C, light SW, sunny afternoon and clear, cool evening. Journey NCL-SVG was 16 min late due to signal troubles N of NCL but otherwise a smooth one; got taxi to Welwyn for £23 including tip. Good to see son again; we had meal at Red Lion my favourite place in Welwyn as it’s fairly down to earth; had steak and g pie with a couple of g to wash it down. We watched a couple of Destination X before calling it a day. Funds are +19k on week with PoO up to $103.8 but much uncertainty over how long the war will last; in company with many other investors, have been massively top-slicing and have 616k in cash which with bonds at 24.11% of funds gives 36.82% in bonds+cash; still have a lot of oil shares left if there’s another leg-up! 2moro we have full family reunion at Red Lion, Hatfield, followed by visit to Hatfield House. Did some work on Abu Dhabi piccies from 29/12/2024 on train. XXXX!!
March 12th: maximum 10C, minimum 4C, fresh SW with a few strong gusts, heavy rain all day and into night. Vigorous sensuous session: lok2tsyo!!!! Made QHC4s4l with M 4 gr8 chat! Much later made G4js4s with the gang, with L on! Tidied up home page as suggested yesterday.
March 11th: maximum 10C, minimum 7C, moderate SW, heavy rain overnight, bright morning, cloudy later. Fairly bracing. Main event of day was funeral of R Bobbie M, with a service at St Andrew’s Corbridge, followed by a wake at Corbridge Cricket Club. Over 20 members attended from R: she was a highly respected member. Next task with new raptor year approaching is on the home page to save the 2024 study area results to a new web page, move the 2025 results to the 2024 slot, clear 2025 results in preparation for 2026’s data; needs a clear head! XXXX!!
March 10th: maximum 11C, minimum 6C, moderate SW, bright morning and early afternoon, damper later. Did another site today in a full visit: Letah Wood and West Dipton valley, from 11:53-13:10. Had 20 bird species, including: 3 Stock Dove, 1 Lapwing (displaying), 3 Black-headed Gull, 10 Common Gull, 1 Red Kite (floating over hillside to N), 4 Common Buzzard (displaying), 1 Kestrel (1 female/immature), 1 Chiffchaff (calling), 1 Mistle Thrush (singing), 3 Greenfinch, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Yellowhammer. So that’s another Red Kite site, up to 4 now. Then made QHC4s4l for good lunch and service!, followed by QHL 4 work on Dubai piccies for 28/12/2024, covering Jumeirah and Kite Beach with a big gull roost. Completed processing the piccies and account for this day so just one day left now for both Dubai trips: 29/12/2024 to Abu Dhabi. XXXX!! Funds are -22k wtd after reaching new high at +63k up on Monday: oil is very volatile, not surprisingly; sold a lot yesterday and smaller amounts today as prices of stocks eased.
Recent relevant references: (more reading here)
Mark Mallalieu, The 2024 European Honey Buzzard season in Sussex, BirdGuides (2024).
Shaw, KD, McInerny, CJ, Little, A, Little, K, Nadin, JS, & Goater, R, An exceptional season at a central Scotland Honey-buzzard study area, Scottish Birds 37(1) 3-13 (2017).
Forsman, Dick, Separating Common Buzzard and European Honey-buzzard, at p.302, in: Flight Identification of Raptors of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, Christopher Helm (2016).
