A FIRST FOR LINCOLNSHIRE
Its Common Buzzard like underparts immediately aroused suspicions as to its identity, as well as its broad and deeply splayed six-fingered primaries and striking dark ear-coverts. The most striking feature is its broad and obvious white window in the bases to the outer four primaries on the underwing, together with the brighter and more distinct barring on the inner primaries. It also has a pale lower belly and vent. These are features of Black-Eared Kite Milvus mugrans lineatus, a form considered by some authorities to be a seperate species.
This could well explain the birds state of plumage (predominantly fresh juvenile) as well as the late occurrence date.
See Birding World 16: April 2003 page 156-160
