Teesmouth Bird Club

What an amazing day in Cleveland again!
We all remember the fantastic events of Sept 2000 when Britain experienced an unprecedented passage of Honey Buzzards and we all thought this to be a once in a lifetime. Amazingly today surpassed that, on a local level anyway. It was noted, in that years bird report, that 15 were seen in 2000, over the space of about 2 weeks. I think 14 were seen north of the river today, with more elsewhere.
In light of this would observers of Honey Buzzards mind itemising their sightings, while still fresh in peoples minds, (with details of time, age, direction etc) a little on this forum in order to keep track of events (and save an overworked Tom some time later!).
I will start off with what I saw:
Seaton Common 2 south ca. 8.30, seen later over Dormans Pool (many obs)
Seaton Common 1 in off ca. 10 am, landed on pylon for 30 mins then south (many obs)
Graythorpe 3 flew south whilst watching the above individual (many obs)
Long Drag 1 ne, 1s, 1w 12-2pm (1 seen over the creek bridge, 1 over Dormans later) (RCT, TF, SJH, JR)
Cowpen Marsh 2sw, dropping near CBWP ca. 6.30pm
There were many more sightings, obviously with duplication but I know of 3 more not includable in the above. Please find the time to include your sightings to fully document this unique (well almost!) event.

With several Ospreys and Hobbies noted around Cleveland this was trully a great day, and following on from last weekends extravaganza providing locals with a real purple patch.
Cheers
Richard

Hi Rich,

Other than seeing six of the ones you've mentioned above i can add the following...

I dark prob Juv south over Dormans Pool at 11.45am (me and Jamie).

Also Archie rang me to say he had one over Kirkleatham Business Park at approx 1.15pm

Cheers Ian.

Hi,

in addition to above I had 4 birds from the Greatham Creek bridge between about 1pm and 3pm. The first only I saw, the second I believe RCT et al saw form the Drag, the third me and JBD saw and the 4th was the multi observer bird that got mobbed by the Hobby,

Regards,
Jamie

Single dark morph, prob juv in off the sea at Warsett Hill, Brotton at 13.25 yesterday and another similar bird present at Huntcliff, Saltburn briefly this morning at 07.35.

Another bird passed over my house in Skelton at 14.30 today. Light not good and bird fairly high but appeared to be a dark morph.

Damian

I saw 2 more today
1 flew in off at Seaton Carew around 9.am
1 flew in off at the Jewish Cemy at 10.35 ish also seen by TF and SJH. may have been the bird seen over Seal Sands 15 mins later
Cheers

A dark/intermediate bird was seen soaring over Cowpen this evening (5:30ish) by myself, MNS, SDK and CD

2 birds over Skelton today.
The first was circling over the village at 12.00pm although very distant and no plumage details could be seen.

The other (intermediate type) flew high over my garden at 13.05 and headed east.

Sorry, late coz no computer access over the weekend....

intermediate juv drifted over Ingleby Barwick towards Yarm. 4:20-4:25, Friday 19th.

Like I said on the Sightings page, the Honey Buzzard I saw over Saltburn at 11.30am on 19th September is almost certainly one of the two Damian saw over Skelton the same day.  My one was circling a bit, avoiding mobbing birds, and making leisurely progress directly southwards.  That would take it straight to Skelton in time for Damian's midday sighting.  Plumage and shape-wise it had all the diagnostic features of the species, and I would say, looking at the books, that it was an 'intermediate' bird, but I'm no expert as it's only the sixth one I've seen in thirty years!  If it was an intermediate, I guess it could be the bird Damian saw at 13.05.
Cheers,
Steve

Rather belated Honey Buzzard records, sorry:

One seen briefly over Warsett Hill at 11.10 BST on 13th September, presumably having come in off the sea. (ECP, DP).

Stunning views of one over Greatham Creek at 11.55 BST on 20th September on an astounding nine species raptor day at Teesmouth (ECP, DP, CD, IF, MNS et al).