Now, the entire bird, in proportions and colouration / pattern doesn't exactly scream "Long-legged Buzzard" in your face, and in fact it looks just fine for an average plain ol' boring 2 cy Common Buzzard. But frankly, I really can't recall ever seeing such a pale upper tail, with whitish base slowly changin into cinnamon-reddish at the tips, combined with an entirely dark back (uppertail coverts, rump etc.). This is a contrast I usually associate with Long-legged Buzzard. I have seen plenty of very pale and cinnamon upper tails on Common Buzzards, but in these birds the rump and/or back were always very pale as well.
Any suggestions or opinions on the bird?
For the time being, this is nothing but an interesting Common Buzzard to me, but how much weight am I to put on the field mark of a contrast between pale upper tail and dark rump?
