Further to our blog report on the “mystery buzzard”  at Delheim (http://bit.ly/i7eF4z), we have the following update:

Pam Bruce-Brand had informed us that the latest Africa Birds and Birding Magazine October/November 2010 Vol 15 No 5 has an article on these mystery birds titled “Mixed Messages” pg 35 – see article here:  Mystery Buzzards.

The photographer, Johan Mocke, sent the photo and information to one of the authors of the article, Jessie Walton, who replied thusly:

 “Dear Johan, thank you so much for sending it on. Extremely helpful. And a pretty good photo, in spite of the head, as it shows the underside well. Yes, it is certainly one of our strange looking birds, and I think fairly close to where we had the one nest site last year (on Rustenberg farm, the Idas Valley side). If you get any further photos it would be very helpful. Any info, in fact.

With just two of us working on the project we have an enormous area to cover!

If you are prepared to keep a few notes of when and where you see buzzards, and any specific behaviour (hunting, displaying, calling), it would be very much appreciated.

These birds are very variable, from very pale to dark chocolate.  Most people will classify them as ‘Steppe’ or ‘Forest’, but Rob and I think one cannot differentiate that easily; hence we lump them all as ‘Mystery’ buzzards.

Once again, thank you ~ Jessie Walton”

Categories: BIODIVERSITY, DELHEIM

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