Migrating Raptors

The weather system over the UK from about September 9th brought a change to local conditions, with high pressure and north-easterly winds. This is classic weather for drift migrant birds on the east coast and gives potential for inland Honey Buzzards migrating south from Scandinavia.

With this in mind, I spent about an hour during the early afternoon on both September 10th and 11th looking skyward in the hope that I might be lucky and catch a sight of one of these magnificent birds. I actually saw fewer raptors than normal on both these days, with the resident Red Kites and Common Buzzards seemingly less visible than normal - maybe the fairly stiff winds were not to their liking.

The best bird on the 10th was an adult Hobby that circled southwards at 2:40pm. However, the 11th was a bit of a red letter day, as at 1:40pm I watched a Peregrine circling and drifting south west. This is a garden tick, so I was quite chuffed. Then at 1:55pm, I picked up a distant raptor flying more or less east to west and quite high up. I managed to get this in the 'scope and saw a generally dark, chocolate brown, long winged and long tailed raptor with a pale head, showing slight pale patches at the base of the under primaries - Black Kite came to mind briefly, but closer inspection revealed a round-tipped tail and cream coloured head markings - a female/imm Marsh Harrier. At one point it fanned its tail, which from below looked quite pale reddish brown, but it wasn't hanging around and after about 20 - 30 seconds of viewing it disappeared westwards. This is the third consecutive year I have had Marsh Harrier fly over the garden in the autumn - it just goes to show that you never know what is flying over!