Eurasian Honey Buzzard recorded in Newlands

Otto Schmidt, who lives just down the road from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, snapped these images of an Eurasian Honey Buzzard over his house on Saturday 14 January 2012. Honey Buzzards visit the Western Cape annually, but one needs a bit of luck to see them. Kirstenbosch is probably one of the more reliable areas for them [read here for more information about raptor watching in Kirstenbosch]. I would guess, judging by this bird’s underwing and tail pattern, that it’s an adult male.

This individual has started moulting its flight feathers

You can see the scaling on the birds face that protects it from wasp stings

Great record Otto and thanks for the images.

David Winter