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Distant raptor - northern England. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter charly streets
- Start date
The Analog Kid
Formerly Net-falco
It looks like Hobby to me....
Jane Turner
Well-known member
more like a Merlin to me (tail length)
Andrew Ellis
Well-known member
Defo Merlin female or Imm
Hi all,
Another vote for Merlin, based on the structure and what can be seen of the head pattern. The 'reddish' colour around the vent may be exaggerated in prominence by the nature of the pics; this bird doesn't seem right for even a juvenile Hobby, which are less obvious structurally than adults.
Regards,
Harry
Another vote for Merlin, based on the structure and what can be seen of the head pattern. The 'reddish' colour around the vent may be exaggerated in prominence by the nature of the pics; this bird doesn't seem right for even a juvenile Hobby, which are less obvious structurally than adults.
Regards,
Harry
RecoveringScot
Well-known member
It looks like Merlin to me too. In the field they always have a noticeably protruding head, due to the relative largeness of the head compared to the body, and which is well seen in these photos. They also have that distinctive wing-shape, seen in the top left-hand picture, perhaps caused by a slightly narrower wing-base and less tapered primaries than other falcons.
Cheers,
Cheers,
bitterntwisted
Graham Howard Shortt
...and gives the cuckoo-like impression in pic 8. TBH, Merlin is the odds-on candidate, even without the photos, for a "small raptor flying over the West Yorkshire moors at >100ft elevation on Oct. 7th" WRT the warm orangey underparts, blur this chap a bit and you'd get the same... http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_th...ockphoto_3258148_merlin_bird_of_prey_male.jpg And so far as the upperpart colour can be seen, it looks better for Merlin than Hobby too.
Graham
charly streets
Charlie Streets
Thanks everyone,
The reason I posted the photos (on behalf of a fellow birder) was that there had been a couple of possible Hobby sightings in the area which would be a good bird in these parts. However I'm more than happy to go with the Merlin consensus. Cheers :t:.
Charly.
The reason I posted the photos (on behalf of a fellow birder) was that there had been a couple of possible Hobby sightings in the area which would be a good bird in these parts. However I'm more than happy to go with the Merlin consensus. Cheers :t:.
Charly.
FalconBirder
Raptor Ethologist
Hi charly streets
There seem to be two sets of images here - five and then six.
Are you 100% certain that both sets are of the same individual falcon please?
FalconBirder
There seem to be two sets of images here - five and then six.
Are you 100% certain that both sets are of the same individual falcon please?
FalconBirder
charly streets
Charlie Streets
Hi Falconbirder,
Yes, 100%, the first set was taken as it was flying with the light behind and (presumably after changing course) the second set with the light more on it's back.
Yes, 100%, the first set was taken as it was flying with the light behind and (presumably after changing course) the second set with the light more on it's back.
Ghostly Vision
Well-known member
Looks to have grey upperparts which would make it a male.
Sean
Sean
