Flixton Marsh Lane

It was foggy so decision time. Stay away from the coast as birds will have moved in land. Seemed like a good idea at the time and I think it was because there where birds to lock on to. I walked half way to Somerlyton and back along the marsh. Best bird was undoubtedly a RINGED TAILED HARRIER. I was watching a SPARROW HAWK at about a hundred meters flying adjacent to me about an hour into the walk, when a raptor came shooting out of no where and headed strait for the SH as I was looking at it. Came from behind the bird and dwarfed the SH. As it turned away the clear white rump and clearly a HEN HARRIER. Now that was worth the decision to go.

I had a flock of SONG THRUSH in excess of 50 birds which had got together in a hedge and after a few minuets they decided to clear. I also had a flock of 30 MEADOW PIPIT over and I did id 3 TREE PIPIT pic of one below. I also had a KETREL and 3 YELLOW HAMMER. A large flock of GOLDFINCH about 40+ birds interspersed with SISKIN although as a clear visual id I only had one bird. 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER and 1 GREEN WOODPECKER. 1 GREY HERON and loads of ROBIN, some WREN with about 5 GOLDCREST throughout the walk. On way back a very pale COMMON BUZZARD this bird looks very much like the bird I saw over CORTON yesterday.

So is it a Common or is it a female Rough Legged Buzzard shows the signs.