Common Buzzard in moult?

[michael23]

Hi, photographed this buzzard as it flew over my house yesterday (30/05/09, derbyshire)
I noticed a dark band across its brest, which also seems to be in line with the markings on the wing, I have never noticed this on others that I have seen before, maybe its down to the fact in moult?
Now this second thing I noticed may well just be normal flight behaviour, but again in all of the buzzards I have watched, I never noticed the wings go from fingered to pointed, as shown in these images

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/003crop.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/005crop.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/006crop.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/007crop.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/008crop.jpg

[MichaelF]

I noticed a dark band across its breast, which also seems to be in line with the markings on the wing, I have never noticed this on others that I have seen before, maybe its down to the fact in moult? That's a fairly normal plumage character for Common Buzzard, not necessarily moulting. Bit of an odd time though for it to be in such apparently heavy tail moult, I wonder if some gamekeeper hasn't blasted half its tail out with a gun.

Now this second thing I noticed may well just be normal flight behaviour, but again in all of the buzzards I have watched, I never noticed the wings go from fingered to pointed, as shown in these imagesYep, normal flight behaviour; depends on angle to the wind, etc., and the angle it is viewed from.

Wondering how long till some tyro reports this bird as a kite because of its "forked" tail :laugh: