Stunning Buteo!.....23.12.2019.

After hearing the juvenile Rough-legged Buzzard was still present at Stainforth near Doncaster,i decided to pay it a visit this morning.
 On arrival at the birds chosen area and getting wrapped up,as it was decidedly cold,i made my way to where the bird had been observed the day before.
 Initially we did not see the bird,but then i picked it up sat distantly in a line of Silver Birch.Even at 60x mag this bird stood out as a classically marked juvenile,what a stunner!.
 It then moved several times,moving slightly closer each time and then eventually as the weather slowly improved it began hunting and flying around it's new temporary home.
 Just how anyone would mistake one of these birds as a Common Buzzard is beyond me.with their much longer wings and totally different structure compared to Commons chunky profile,that's without the striking white and brown plumage tones and dark belly patch of this species.
 It was observed hunting over Hatfield Pit Top,with that curious hovering action with legs dangling,another usefull trait of this species when identifying them from Common Buzzard.In my experience i have never seen a Common Buzzard dangling it's legs in this fashion when hovering.
 The bird seemed to be covering a hunting territory,flying around the same circuit on a couple of occasions,overhead,giving some fantastic views,what a cracking bird.
 Other species observed while on site included singles of Grey Wagtail and Green Sandpiper and 17 Whooper swans passed over.
 A nice few hours out,familiarising myself again,with this stunning northern visitor.