by Alexander C. Lees, Centre for Ecology, Evolution & Conservation, University of East Anglia
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Part 4 Birds of Prey
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus
Rare passage migrant 8 records
1 Boothby Great Wood 30th August 1983
1 South Witham 21st September 1996
1 Belvoir 7th June 1998
1 Marston STW 20th September 2000
2 Belton: 21st & 22nd September 2001
1 Ancaster 22nd September 2001
1 South Witham 10th May 2001
2 S Cotham 25th September 2002
Black Kite Milvus migrans
Vagrant, 1 record
1 Colsterworth 23rd July 2003 (T. Lee not submitted to BBRC)
Red Kite Milvus milvus
Formerly rare migrant, reintroduced birds now recorded annually in small numbers, 2 records certain to pertain to genuine vagrants:
1 Ropsley 22nd December 1987 (P. Watts)
1 Denton "ealy April" 1988 (T. Lee)
Red Kite, Woolsthorpe by Belvoir, February 1998 (photo A. Lees)
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla
Vagrant, 1 record
1 imm. male shot Aswarby 16th March 1933
Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Formerly uncommon passage migrant, now rare breeder
Food pass by the first pair of Marsh Harriers to breed in the Grantham area in modern times June 2000 (photo A. Lees)
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
Scarce winter visitor, one roost used regularly in SW of recording area
Hen Harrier, near Temple Wood, November 1996 (photo A. Lees)
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
Rare passage migrant, has bred.
Pair bred (site name withheld) summer 1980
1 North Rauceby 23rd April 1982
1 Barkston 9th August 1989
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Status uncertain, clouded by misidentification and suppression, probably a rare visitor at best
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Common resident
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
Formerly scarce migrant, breeding first suspected 1988, now common resident
Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus
Scarce winter visitor, 7 records
1 Fulbeck November 4th 1967
1 Ancaster 1st October 1966
1 Knipton November 1994 - April 1995, 2nd bird early April (A. MacKay, A. Lees et al. )
2 Ancaster January - February 1995 (1 later shot at Asfordby) (T. Lee et al. )
1 Knipton 10th March 1996 (T. Lee)
1 South Witham 1st February 1997 (E. Simms)
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Uncommon passage migrant, now recorded annually
Osprey, Marston August 1996 (photo A. Lees)
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Common resident
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus
Vagrant, 2 records
1 Marston STW 8th September 1963 ( A. Dobbs, H. Dobbs )
1 South Witham 30th April. (E. Simms)
Merlin Falco columbarius
Uncommon winter visitor
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
Uncommon breeding summer visitor and passage migrant
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Scarce visitor, formerly rare, recorded in all months
Peregrines, Londonthorpe, January 2006 (photo A. Lees)
Birds of Grantham Part 1 - Divers to Herons
Birds of Grantham Part 2 - Swans, Geese and other Wildlfowl
Birds of Grantham Part 3 - Wildfowl cont...
Birds of Grantham Part 4 - Birds of Prey
Birds of Grantham Part 5 - Game Birds and Waders
Birds of Grantham Part 6 - Gulls and Terns
Birds of Grantham Part 7 - Owls and Woodpeckers
Birds of Grantham Part 8 - Larks, Pipits, Wagtails and Trushes
Birds of Grantham Part 9 - Warblers, Tits, Sparrows, Crows and Finches