Common (Steppe) Buzzard in Musanze

I came across this bird at our site (Ikoro) in Ruhengeri (Musanze) this morning. Altitude is 1850m and habitat is eucalypt 'forest' (6.5 hectares) with wild understorey (dense in some places) and adjacent to the road to the Cyanika border with Uganda. According to one of my guys, the bird has been around for a few days now.

It had been perched when I saw it the 1st time from where it flew to two other perches, avoiding my camera at all costs it seemed. I caught a hint of what appeared to be a pale rump - paler than the rest of the brown back and the dark fingers were distinct. Flight was slow 'relaxed' wingbeats. The last time it took off, it started circling higher and further albeit with hardly a wingbeat so must've found some good currents. This is the only time I managed to get photos.

Dick Forsman has kindly just confirmed the ID as Common (Steppe) Buzzard Buteo buteo vulpinus. This is the 1st record for this species at our site and also the first that I have for Ruhengeri where the bird was not on soaring high on passage.