Broomhead Rough-leg...

Walked across Broomhead Moor fairly early as Keeley Donovan had told me we were in for some rain late morning. A pale Common Buzzard with lots of white in its tail just before the shooting lodge had me wondering and with the low cloud and mist I wasn't expecting too much anyway. Flocks of Fieldfare and Starlings were heading southwards and westwards, about a thousand of the former went over. At 09.50 the Rough-legged Buzzard appeared well up the valley beyond the shooting lodge, hovering and hunting for about 5 minutes before dropping out of sight. A nice juvenile. The drizzle started but still Common Buzzards were in the sky constantly (must be hungry after yesterdays rain)and a hour later the Rough-leg came down the valley again towards me at the shelter of the shooting lodge. By now the drizzle was quite heavy rain and after 5 minutes flying around (interacting with a Common Buzzard) the Rough-leg landed in a tree for a further 5 minutes. Sounds brill doesn't it, - well it would have been had it not been throwing it down and watching it through mist! It flew off towards the Dukes Road side at 11.10 and I trudged back to the car to dry off. It would seem the place to see this bird at present is from the shooting lodge beyond the stone circle on Broomhead Moor, a good half hours walk. It would be too distant from any of the roads and out of sight from Ewden Heights (which is a much shorter walk).