On 21 May 2009 a migrant Honey-buzzard Pernis aviporus appeared in the Sumburgh area of Shetland, and the following morning PME watched what was assumed to have been this same individual launch itself from the Mainland cliff of Sumburgh Head to the stack of Little Tind, where it scared an adult European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis (hereafter ‘Shag’) off its nest. The nest contained at least two recently hatched young, which the Honey-buzzard proceeded to eat over a period of 45 minutes. During this time, the dislodged parent Shag flew repeatedly at the nest site in presumed attempts to scare the Honey-buzzard away, while another adult Shag, probably its mate, stood on a ledge below the nest site uttering the ‘Ark-call’ (Cramp & Simmons 1977). A small crowd of people gathered to watch this bizarre sight but, despite using an array of telescopes, the exact number of Shag chicks in the brood could not be determined. The Honey-buzzard eventually flew off, either because it had finished its meal or because of the persistent harassment by the parent Shags, and although it remained in the area until 24 May it was not observed eating anything.

Cramp, S. & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1977. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. I. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Cramp, S. & Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Vol. II. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Panuccio, M., Agostini, N., Wilson, S., Lucia, G., Ashton-Booth, J., Chiatante, G, Mellone, U. & Tidisco, S. 2006. Does the Honey-buzzard feed during migration? British Birds 99: 365–367.

Roberts, S. J. & Coleman, M. 2001. Some observations on the diet of European Honey-buzzards in Britain. British Birds 94: 433–436.