More Honey Buzzard Observations

Honey Buzzards at the Old Llama Park

Sunday 23rd August 2026

Martin rang to ask if I fancied another visit to the Old Llama Park viewing point to look for Honey Buzzards. It was a no-brainer. With summer beginning to draw to a close, it seemed the perfect time to catch up with these wonderful birds before they leave Ashdown Forest and begin their long migration back to Africa for the winter.

We arrived at the viewing point to find another birder already in position - Jeffrey - and we soon joined forces for the morning. Jeffrey turned out to be none other than Sir Jeffrey, a retired British diplomat and Knight of the Realm. You never quite know who you are going to meet at an Ashdown Forest viewpoint!  I hope you enjoyed the morning, Sir Jeffrey.

Alastair then arrived to provide the expertise we needed, while Brian, a local birder whom we were meeting for the first time, completed our little team for the morning.

Honey Buzzards on Show

And what a morning it turned out to be.

We were treated to multiple sightings of two, and possibly three, Honey Buzzards as they moved around the forest. After several previous visits, it was particularly satisfying to see the birds performing so well.

The undoubted highlight was a spectacular wing-clapping display by the pale male. Watching a Honey Buzzard displaying over the forest is always a special experience, and this was a particularly memorable performance.

A Great Morning's Birding

As the morning progressed, it became increasingly clear that we had struck lucky. Multiple sightings, a stunning display and good company made this another very worthwhile visit to the viewing point.

If you want a flavour of how good the morning was, take a look at the excellent images from Martin and Brian below. They have captured some of the action far better than words can describe.

The pale male - courtesy of Martin Jeffree

The pale male displaying- courtesy of Martin Jeffree

His mate - courtesy of Martin Jeffree

Here's Brian's take on the event.

The pale male - courtesy of Brian Mead

The female - courtesy of Brian Mead

With the Honey Buzzards now entering the final part of their stay on Ashdown Forest, opportunities to see them will soon be running out. They still have a long journey ahead of them, but for now it was great to see them looking so settled and full of energy.

Another memorable morning watching one of our most enigmatic summer visitors.