B.O.P identify please

[carthorse11]

Roy w , I am new to birdspotting so I said "POSE" meaning stance, I get the immpression you think I am that sad I sit at home altering the photo-I can assure you it has not!! did you find the ruddy duck to kill your "curiosity "I would like to have your opinion as you seem to know more than anyone else?

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by carthorse11

Roy w , I am new to birdspotting so I said "POSE" meaning stance, I get the immpression you think I am that sad I sit at home altering the photo-I can assure you it has not!! did you find the ruddy duck to kill your "curiosity "I would like to have your opinion as you seem to know more than anyone else?

Hi CH11,

Firstly, if you have taken offence to anything that I said I apologise (although having re-read my last post I'm not really sure why you get that impression). The thought that you might have altered the photograph in any way whatsoever never even crossed my mind - oh, and you didn't actually use the word pose (that was Greenman - who was the one who put it in inverted commas), your first post clearly states that the stance looked different.
As for being 'sad' - you obviously have an interest in wildlife (which is all I know about you), and that makes you alright in my book!

Secondly, I wouldn't say that I 'know more than anyone else'. I have been a birder for a long time however, and I do often have an opinion on the identification of birds that are posted on this forum. If several other posters have already identified the bird then I do not see much point in adding a post agreeing with them. However, if there is some dispute (as was the case here) I will post my opinion, usually with some reasons for that opinion. Any other WAB member is then able to agree, or disagree, as they see fit - if they give reasons I might even change my mind and end up agreeing with them!

Roy.


PS. I did find the Ruddy Duck post (and realised that I had seen it at the time). The concensus of the posters was that it was a winter male Ruddy Duck, which I agreed with so I didn't post.

[carthorse11]

Cheers for that Roy no hard feelings , didnt mean to seem aggressive, after all we all have the same interest and will welcome your opinion in future.
simon

[hel1985]

first one common buzzard,second honey buzzard.can make your mind up for yourself.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by RoyW

Secondly, I wouldn't say that I 'know more than anyone else'. I have been a birder for a long time however, and I do often have an opinion on the identification of birds that are posted on this forum. If several other posters have already identified the bird then I do not see much point in adding a post agreeing with them. However, if there is some dispute (as was the case here) I will post my opinion, usually with some reasons for that opinion. Any other WAB member is then able to agree, or disagree, as they see fit - if they give reasons I might even change my mind and end up agreeing with them!

Roy.

Like Roy, I tend not to post if other people have already identified a bird correctly or if there is no response or, as in this case some debate.

I'm certainly not an expert (although have some 25 years birding behind me both at home and abroad!)I'd say this is a Common Buzzard by head and bill shape alone - as has been noted above, Honeys have a small pigeon-like head compared with size of their bodies and have noticeably longer tails. Can't see anything wrong with the stance/pose, it's simply in an alert position.

As for plumage (what can be just about made out!), the bird is a juvenile-2cy since some uniform streaking on the flanks and bib area is just about visible and upperwing coverts and secondaries appear to have extensive pale tips. A juvenile Honey Buzzard is generally uniformly rufous/dark on the under body as are the intermediate morphs with more unusual pale morphs being quite 'clean' on the belly with only darker streaking on the upper breast/neck - I can't see that here. We can also rule out an adult Honey by the extent of yellow on bill, (adults have grey bill and cere) with the most common types having heavy barring to the breast (as Hel's photo above shows), with males showing extensive grey heads.

I can't see anything to rule out a Common Buzzard on the photo provided.