Buteo lagopus

Rare passage migrant, and winter visitor.

In 2007 the KOSRP decided to make Rough-legged Buzzard, a reportable species anywhere outside of Sheppey/Swale, requiring at least a written description of any future records. The following are all records accepted, in the county, since that time.

2023 Hothfield Common, single bird flew south, 5th January.
2022 Swale NR, single bird, 1st January.
2021 Reculver Marshes, juvenile bird, 4th November.
  Bockhill, single bird, 30th April.
  Stonar Lake, Sandwich, adult female, 19th April.
  Swale NNR, first-winter bird, 28th January until 5th March, occasionally visiting Elmley and Conyer.
2020 Worth Marshes, single bird flew north, 21st March.
  Funton Creek, the 2019 first winter bird, remained in the area until 25th February.
2019 Funton Creek, first-winter bird, 1st December, until year end.
  Dunkirk, single bird, first seen on 6t March, and then again on 19th and 29th April.
  Elmley NR, one of the previous two birds was also seen intermittently, from 3rd March until 25th April.
  Chetney Marshes/Funton Creek, the previous bird was joined by a second on 6th January, and also remained until at least the 21st April.
  Chetney Marshes/Funton Creek, the first-year bird from 2018 remained until at least the 21st April.
2018 Chetney Marshes/Funton Creek, first-year bird, 20th December until the year end.
  Harty Marshes, single bird, 29th December.
  Cockles Bridge, Dengemarsh, single bird, 14th December.
  Bough Beech, single bird, 21st November.
  Rainham Marshes, single bird, 30th October.
  Dartford Marshes, single bird, 30th October.
  Dungeness RSPB Reserve, single bird, 30th October.
  Reculver, single bird, 28th October.
  Dungeness RSPB Reserve, single bird, 26th September.
  Harty Marshes/Capel Fleet, single bird, remained from 2017 into the first week of January.
2017 Harty Marshes/Capel Fleet, single bird, 5th December until year end.
  Lade Pits & Dungeness BO, single bird, 1st December.
2016 Seaton, single bird, 24th January.
2015 Grain Country Park, single bird found moribund, 24th October.
  Scotney Court GP’s, single bird, 19th-24th October.
2014 Reculver, single bird, 7th November.
  Sandwich, single bird flew north, 12th March.
  Eastry, single bird, 25th January.
2013 Cliffe Pools, single bird, 24th October.
  Pegwell, juvenile bird flew S, 12th October, and later SW past Bockhill.
  Pegwell, single bird circling to the east, 19th April.
2012 Sheppey, two birds, present from 7th-9th April, with one remaining until 12th.
  Thames Marshes, single bird, 7th January, with two birds present the next day, which were both seen again 10th-11th, with one remaining until 28th.
  Sheppey, the adult female from previous year remained until early April.
2011 Palmarsh, single bird, 1st November, was later reported from West Hythe on 13th November, remaining in the area until the end of the year.
  Elmley NNR, adult female, was present for most of December until the year end.
  Sheppey, two birds, 28th October, with one, a juvenile, remaining for two weeks.
  Foreness, single bird, 25th October.
  Newchurch, single bird, 24th October.
  Shuart Farm, Reculver Marshes, single bird 22nd October.
  Sheppey, single bird, 16th October.
  Capel-le-Ferne, single bird, 14th May.
  Dungeness, single bird flew south, 6th May.
  Hythe, two birds, 24th April.
  Chartham Mill, single bird, 12th March.
  Reculver Marshes, single bird, 4th-11th January.
2010 New Hythe, single bird, 24th December.
  East Sheppey, single bird, 25th October.
2009 Yantlet, single bird, 19th April.
  Bockhill, single bird, 5th April.
  Sheppey, first-winter bird, 27th January until at least 22nd February.
  Sheppey, the adult female from previous year remained until at least 15th March.
2008 Sheppey, returning adult female, 25th November, until year end.
  Bockhill, and later that day at Dargate, single bird, 10th May.
  Dungeness area, adult male, 7th May.
  Sheppey, the adult female was joined by a juvenile male, which remained until 13th April.
  Sheppey, adult female from previous year remained until at least 9th March.
2007  Chambers Wall, single bird, 26th October.
  Sheppey, two additional birds, 30th October.
   Foreness, juvenile bird, 25th October.
   Sheppey, adult female, possibly previous years bird returning, 23rd October, remaining until the year end.
   Sheppey, single bird from 2006, remained until 6th April. 

The Kent Ornithological Society was founded in 1952

Our aims are to record and monitor the county’s bird life providing both an accurate historical record of Kent’s birds but equally importantly providing data that can be used to help protect valuable habitats from development and other threats.

In doing this, we seek increase knowledge and understanding of birds and their habitats in the county and encourage and support people seeking to take up birdwatching as a hobby.

Membership of the society is open to all and costs £15 a year. Members receive a free copy of the annual Kent Bird Report and regular electronic newsletters. See details

The Society runs regular online talks and an outdoor programme of field meetings. They are opportunities for both beginners and experienced birdwatchers to meet others in the county and to develop their knowledge and skills.

We are a charity regulated by the Charity Commission registered as charity number 212489.