Originally photographed over Lourensford Estate, by Kate Morris on 30th January 2021 at 10 am and identified as a Crested Honey Buzzard.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
Later in the day news filtered through that, it was a hybrid European Honey Buzzard X Crested Honey Buzzard. This find was submitted to the National Rarities Committee for clarification as this would be the first encounter of this species in South Africa.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
![]() |
(African Harrier-Hawk: Gymnogene) |
Hybrid or not most birders across the country were making their way to somerset West to see if this local celebrity could be relocated. The Spanish Farm view site just at the foot of the Helderberg Mountain was the second recording for the CHB.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard twitchers) |
Official Confirmation registering the CHB as the first record for South Africa, making this raptor from the orient the highest priority amongst the birding fraternity. Saturday 6th February was our first opportunity to get onto the view site and hopefully get a glimpse of this famous buzzard. Several birders were already on-site and waiting by the time we arrived. We settled down and were more than pleased with the variety of raptors on view, some had recorded twelve for the day and were searching for that elusive thirteenth, but alas the CHB didn’t show.
![]() |
Crested Honey Buzzard – credit Shantanu Kuveskar |
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard)
|
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
Returning on the 12th, we set up in the blazing heat of February and scanned the skies for our celebrity. Once again, we had excellent raptor sightings by still no luck with our target raptor. Friday and on-site for our third twitch, and the pressure was on to find this new record, we departed the scene feeling a little depressed about dipping on this bird.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
![]() |
(Booted Eagle) |
We decided that we would commit the time to locate the bird with the weekend ahead as it had now become an obsession to get this record. Arriving early, the day’s heat was oppressive, but we were resolute and on a mission to tick off this CHB. Elated when on review we could confirm that the distant showing of another raptor was indeed our bird, excited and now very content we hoped for a closer flyover to photograph this fantastic bird.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
Trembling with excitement, Tracking the bird right above us, we could not believe how fortunate we were to have such an excellent showing of the CHB. Along with a large group of birders, the star of the show rewarded us in a very hot Somerset west.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard twitchers) |
Our focus turned to the images taken and hoping for that one perfect photograph. Content with the results, a reward for our patients and a commitment to getting this record. New friends were made, and we connected with old acquaintances, learning so many interesting facts about the CHB.
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
![]() |
(Crested Honey Buzzard) |
![]() |
(Cape Times Newspaper article, Wednesday, February 17 2021) |
![]() |
(European Honey Buzzard was seen on the same view site, image courtesy of Halima Beale Photography) |
![]() |
(Yellow Billed Kite: image Courtesy Stephan Wolfart) |
![]() |
(Black Sparrowhawk: image Courtesy Stephan Wolfart) |
![]() |
(Rufous Breasted Sparrowhawk: image Courtesy Stephan Wolfart) |
Comment
Awesome Alex! A great article. Definitely my birding highlight! Wonderful that so many birders have been able to see this bird.