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What do you make of this?? (1 Viewer)

LSB

Me
United Kingdom
Hi All
Took this very poor photo today of this raptor SP..let me know what you think it is and I'll tell you later what I thought it was.....
Cheers
ps its the same photo just one is zoomed in
 
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Think the wing length/tail length comparison leads me to stick with my original thought, although photo shows wings of differing lengths due to angle of bird.
 
Does look very long winged, doesn't it?

Hen harrier or (maybe, purely on wing length) osprey...

Where was this, LSB?

(Not enough info on the pic to see HB in it, I'm afraid...)
 
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It had dark carpal patches with a whitish underwing. smallish head no obvious barring on tail, brown in colour.Had a very flat flight pattern.......Keith it was at just north of the beehive flash this morning being mobbed by a Carrion Crow.then it gained height slowly and was mobbed again by 2 Blk Hd Gulls.I will be the first to admit im absoultley hopeless at Raptors.....Ps Keith Deff not an Osprey
 
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How much was the size difference between raptor and crow: 1.25x, 1.50x, 2x, more ??

Niels
 
njlarsen said:
How much was the size difference between raptor and crow: 1.25x, 1.50x, 2x, more ??

Niels


I'd say aboyt 1.5x -2x bigger have just checked out Hen Harrier on my CD rom..
this bird didnt have a white rump...so that rules out Hen Harrier(I think)
 
How about this. Marsh Harrier. Any chance that local habitat would hold one or more of these?
 

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There is a Marsh Harrier in the local area but it wasnt a Marsh Harrier.Ive seen loads of em and it wasnt one..will have to put it down to the one that got away
wished Id got a better photo as it does look very harrier like in pic,..
Thanks all for your help.. :D
 
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littlestintboy said:
... will have to put it down to the one that got away
wished I'd got a better photo ...

There are probably many occasions when grabbing the camera yields less than would studying the bird visually (even without optical aids!).

I'm not suggesting you don't photograph, just don't forget to keep watching the birdie ;) - sometimes it's actions (or lack of them) that can be a deciding factor! Interesting photo.

Cheers,

Andy.
 
Except for the lack of barring on the tail I'd agree with Keith on Osprey. That's what I thought when I first looked at the photo based on wing length and bend of the wing. And the dark carpal patches work for osprey as well. But I sure wouldn't be marking it as certain.
 
Thanks Cavanwood but not an Osprey as I had very good views of it before I grabbed camera and took this poor photo. I even managed to get it in the scope..As I said earlier will have to let it go.....Thanks for your input :D
 
''Dark carpal patches on light underwing, small head and flattish flight'' - Honey Buzzard perhaps?

And - wasn't there one knocking about on the Farnes the other day?

The silhouette's taken at quite a height and not ideal but the description sounds okay for Honey Buzzard.

Alan G
 
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Alan G said:
''Dark carpal patches on light underwing, small head and flattish flight'' - Honey Buzzard perhaps?

And - wasn't there one knocking about on the Farnes the other day?

The silhouette's taken at quite a height and not ideal but the description sounds okay for Honey Buzzard.

Alan G

Photo doesn't have the right 'feel' for HB - more in the harrier/Osprey bracket on proportions.

Come on Stinty - flesh out that description for us, how long were you watching it for, what height, distance, what did it do ... ?
 
Agree about the silhouette not looking right but its the mention of flying on flat wings that drew me away from Harrier (sp).

One that got away methinks?

Alan
 
I will admit photo looks very like Harrier but IMHO it wasnt a Harrier as flight was different (not flappy enough If you know what I mean)First Impression was Buzzard SP
Andrew I first saw it about 20ft above the ground and from about 40ft away being mobbed by a Carrion Crow,It then gained height slowly flying on very steady wing beats (like a Buzzard)It was broader winged than it looks in photo. I watched it for about 2-3 mins gaining height when it was then mobbed by 2 black headed gulls.as for Height 200ft - 300ft+ when I lost sight of it and was about 1/2 - 3/4 mile away..As I said before I going to put it down to experience
Cheers again guys for the Help :t:
 
littlestintboy said:
I will admit photo looks very like Harrier but IMHO it wasnt a Harrier as flight was different (not flappy enough If you know what I mean)First Impression was Buzzard SP
Andrew I first saw it about 20ft above the ground and from about 40ft away being mobbed by a Carrion Crow,It then gained height slowly flying on very steady wing beats (like a Buzzard)It was broader winged than it looks in photo. I watched it for about 2-3 mins gaining height when it was then mobbed by 2 black headed gulls.as for Height 200ft - 300ft+ when I lost sight of it and was about 1/2 - 3/4 mile away..As I said before I going to put it down to experience
Cheers again guys for the Help :t:

very close initial views then......
se
 
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