Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

[Tordan58]

End of winter approaching, though poor light conditions, I payed a visit to Fyledalen, an area famous for hosting numerous wintering raptors.

It was a good day, during a couple of hours I was rewarded with many sightings including Golden and Sea Eagle. On the way back I noticed a commotion at distance, raptors feeding on the remains of a dead roe deer.

These two guys must have been hungry indeed since they did not leave the carcasse until I was 40-50 meters away.

Unfortunately dull light and some grass is in the way, impacting the contrast and to some extend the sharpness but there was no way to get a clean, unobstructed shot. This one is OK, though, I think.

Thanks for looking
Tord

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

WoW Tord, well captured and thanks for sharing

[Imageryone]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Is it unusual to see both at the same time ?

[Tordan58]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Is it unusual to see both at the same time ?

Common Buzzards are more common and found year round. Rough-legged Buzzards are less common and migratory, they will return to the northern latitudes in springtime. I believe they are found in the eastern UK as well, at least wintertime.

It's not uncommon to see them both at this time of the year, this is just the first time I capture both on one and same frame.

/Tord

[IainMacD]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Grim but nicely captured Tord
Are we likely to see Rough Legged Buzzards in northern Scotland during the summer months? If so it might explain a bird I saw around these parts a couple of years ago; I never did figure out what it was and didn't have a camera handy as I was driving.

[Tordan58]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Grim but nicely captured Tord
Are we likely to see Rough Legged Buzzards in northern Scotland during the summer months? If so it might explain a bird I saw around these parts a couple of years ago; I never did figure out what it was and didn't have a camera handy as I was driving.

Hi,
I don't think there are RLB in Scotland summertime, they are found further north on the tundra and taiga. I guess the Scottish winter visitors are from Norway (closest habitat). What you saw may have been an Osprey, but it is hard to tell from your description.
/Tord

[Falk]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Hi Tord, I understand your issues with lacking sun but dull conditions or harsh contrasts e.g. snow perfectly well. It has been a real pain this winter for me - no light 95% of the time
Anyways, could you elaborate on the distinct features of the Rough-legged-Buzzard a bit, as I would only see two Commons in your photo.

[Tordan58]

Common Buzzards

You are right, both are Common Buzzards. Apologies for any confusion I may have caused.

[Falk]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Uhh! Now I feel a little bad. It wasn't my intention to diminish your observation or said skills. I was thinking here is something to learn, as Tord has to know much more about Rough-legged ones then myself. Because the last and only one I ever saw, goes back almost as far as I can remember. He was resting in a pine tree, standing by our house and the Goshawk volieres, in snow heavy winter ?1971/72.

[Tordan58]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Uhh! Now I feel a little bad. It wasn't my intention to diminish your observation or said skills. I was thinking here is something to learn, as Tord has to know much more about Rough-legged ones then myself. Because the last and only one I ever saw, goes back almost as far as I can remember. He was resting in a pine tree, standing by our house and the Goshawk volieres, in snow heavy winter ?1971/72.

No problem!
I observed from distance many raptors, of which the majority were Red Kites and the rest distributed between Common and Rough Legged Buzzards. As I approached the place most of them took off except three who seemed to accept the presence of my car, although with extreme care. One RLB took off after a while to perch in a tree. Left on the ground were these two and I was a bit sloppy in not checking the ID of the one with the cream feathering. At a first glance it could be mistaken for a RLB, size and color are about right. The distinctive and characteristic feature is however missing (feathered legs), so it is a Common Buzzard. (Side note: Buteo lagopus means "hare-footed". The feathered legs is an adaptation to their habitat.

PS We do have quite many RLB wintertime around where I live (from late nov to march). Population is estimated to 3000-5000 pairs (on the decline) of which quite many will winter in southmostern Sweden. They are often spotted, usually gliding, sometimes hovering or perched.

Come spring and they will migrate north to the mountain areas north of 60 degrees.

Thanks for shown interest,
Tord

[Falk]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Thanks for shown interest,
Tord

You bet!
I certainly knew there had to be feathered legs, but if you told me the right one was indeed a RLB, then I would have adjusted my expactations of these feathers to be far less pronounced then I thought they would be.


Falk

[Tordan58]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Hi,
For reference here is a Rough-legged Buzzard feathered legs clearly visible. Not top quality picture, though...

[Falk]

Re: Common Buzzard and Rough-legged Buzzard

Are you pulling my leg now, Tord?