Big birds battling - Scottish Borders (1 Viewer)

Stonefaction

Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2024).

• May 31, 2010

• #1

While travelling through the Scottish borders (along the A708 Moffat - Selkirk road) on holiday a few weeks ago, I snapped a bit of an airborne fracas from the moving car. It's not really in focus and has been cropped, so it's not the best. Wish we'd been able to stop, so I could have got better photos (and a definite ID for all 3).
I'm pretty sure the top bird is a Crow - possibility of Raven, given the location, sizewise Carrion Crow seems more likely though. The bottom bird appears to be marked like a Buzzard. I've been unable to pull any sort of colour from the middle bird (although there may be a few slightly lighter areas on the underwing) despite playing around in Capture NX2.

Any suggestions?

Baz

 

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A

Apodemus

Well-known member

• May 31, 2010

• #2

Middle bird looks very like an eagle. Bottom bird may well be a buzzard but there's the hint of a red kite tail there.

 

C

Cheshire Birder

Well-known member

• May 31, 2010

• #3

I also think the middle bird is an eagle. Bottom bird is probably a Buzzard.

CB

 

harr1y

Well-known member

• May 31, 2010

• #4

Looks like a white tailed to me ....scroll down to white tailed eagle here you will see what i mean

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&gbv=2&tbs=isch:1

I may be stretching it a bit here ..right wing trick of light or white wing tag ???

 

Last edited: May 31, 2010

A

Apodemus

Well-known member

• May 31, 2010

• #5

harr1y said:

Looks like a white tailed to me ....

Click to expand...

To me too.

 

Stonefaction

Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2024).

• Jun 1, 2010

• #6

Thanks for looking, and replying, guys.
I thought initially it might be a Golden Eagle (Birds In Scotland seems to hint at birds at least wintering in the area I saw this one), so when you've suggested White Tailed Eagle that did surprise me a little, although they can, and do, turn up anywhere these days.

So I've looked at a lot of photos tonight trying to disprove/prove either ID including a large batch of photos I took of the re-introduced White Tailed's up this way on the east coast (I've attached one).....and I'm probably more confused than I was when I started (although now possibly better informed as to the differences between the species). I'm still leaning towards Golden (but probably less so than I was earlier) but I'm far from certain.

 

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birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Jun 1, 2010

• #7

Golden Eagle on a downward flap, thus giving the impression of thicker wings. Tail too long for WT

 

phil baber

Clipped Wing

• Jun 1, 2010

• #8

birdboybowley said:

Golden Eagle on a downward flap, thus giving the impression of thicker wings. Tail too long for WT

Click to expand...

Would also agree. Head, bill, neck ratio. Wing span (WTEagle? No.) Tail length. All point to Golden Eagle IMHO.

The lower bird a Common Buzzard. The upper a blur.

Possibly another of a pair, defending their territory.

Of course, in my humble opinion!

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Jun 1, 2010

• #9

A great blurry photo id challenge!

I thought Golden Eagle on the middle - tail length. Assume the fingers too long for Honey Buzzard etc.

Then depending on the relative heights of the birds and then the distances ie relative sizes of the birds you have to come to the following if they are in roughly the same height - the 'crow' is too big and must be a Raven (if a crow sp., could even be another Red Kite). The bottom bird is also too big for Buzzard and must be a Red Kite (if not another eagle) - apparent tail shape, wing markings and length of primary fingers fit this species better.

 

markgrubb

Leading a life of quiet desperation

• Jun 1, 2010

• #10

Stonefaction said:

Thanks for looking, and replying, guys.
I thought initially it might be a Golden Eagle (Birds In Scotland seems to hint at birds at least wintering in the area I saw this one),

Click to expand...

Golden eagles are still hanging on...just... in Borders region. One pair bred in 2008 according to the Borders bird report

 

gambirder

Kev Roy

• Jun 1, 2010

• #11

Stonefaction said:

I've looked at a lot of photos tonight trying to disprove/prove either ID including a large batch of photos I took of the re-introduced White Tailed's up this way on the east coast (I've attached one).....and I'm probably more confused than I was when I started (although now possibly better informed as to the differences between the species). I'm still leaning towards Golden (but probably less so than I was earlier) but I'm far from certain.

Click to expand...

Two key features to consider (which I learnt on Skye) are wing-shape and tail- to head-length ratio. In White-tailed the wings are essentially parallel-edged whereas in Goldies the wings have a more-pronounced dihedral (S-shape). It's true that in the photo in this thread the middle bird appears to have parallel-edged wings, but I agree with birdboybowley that this is because the wings are on the down-flap. The other key feature though, the tail- to head-length ratio, is clearer. These lengths are roughly equal on a White-tailed Eagle but on a Goldie the tail is about three times the length of the projecting head. This strongly suggests the bird in your photo is a Goldie.