Albatross possible sighting Uk ?? (1 Viewer)

shifty_steve · Jul 10, 2011

Hello to everyone, this being my first post I hope someone can make a positive identification from the photo attatched. This bird was flying very high over Buttermere Lake district Uk on Saturday 9th July. It had a very wide wingspan of at least 7 foot. The nearest profile in our bird books appears to be an Albatross which is obviously incredibly rare in the uk. Can anyone clarify please.
These were shot using a 200mm lens on full zoom and then blown up considerably on computer.
Thanks

Steve

OlaB · Jul 10, 2011

Looks pretty good for Gannet imo.

Jonny721 · Jul 10, 2011

I would agree with Gannet

ian hamilton · Jul 10, 2011

gannet for me also.

shifty_steve · Jul 10, 2011

I thought Gannet at first, but then the body seemed to stubby for me. The wingspan seemed far greater than anything I could think of. The rear end of Gannet usually seem a little more bulky maybe?? Also neck seems a bit short...but is hard to tell from photograph.

Cheers for input

Steve

wolvobirder · Jul 10, 2011

Gull

These photos are also over on ispot.org.uk

Someone there sugested it was a gull in moult? I think this could also be possible as the body doesn't look right for Gannet (as Steve said).

John.

Tiraya · Jul 11, 2011

It looks like a Black-backed to me.

njlarsen · Jul 11, 2011

An albatross is unlikely to be seen flying way overhead, their wing usage is selected to help them use the least possible energy when flying low over the waves.

Secondly, I also think this is a gull profile (of what ever species). Compare to this image

Niels

OlaB · Jul 11, 2011

Ah! Easy to get fooled by images sometimes. I would agree that gull in moult seems more right.

birding maniac · Jul 11, 2011

wolvobirder said:
These photos are also over on ispot.org.uk

Someone there sugested it was a gull in moult? I think this could also be possible as the body doesn't look right for Gannet (as Steve said).

John.

Agree

shifty_steve · Jul 11, 2011

Nah, too many folk staring at it for a gull. I live near the coast and see Black backs everyday & other gulls, gannets and cormorants most days, live near herons etc so used to seeing big wing spans. This was BIG wingspan, I also estimate for my living so im being conservative when I say easily 7 foot wingspan. From the picture Niels (thank you) i would say that was it.

Cheers to all

Steve

Adam W · Jul 11, 2011

A bit of an odd one, my first assumption was Gannet but i dont really think it is so I'm siding with Black Back but must admitt it does look a bit like an Albatross its just that seems so unlikely I cant really believe it could be but then sometimes the most unbelieveable things do happen.
Size is always the most difficult thing to judge especially a single bird against the sky like this and a Gannet or Black Back could be about 6ft ish so not that far away from 7ft ish and the wing moult making the wings thinner than normal may make them look longer than they are.
Cant quite make my mind up but I think Black Back has to be the most likely.

jurek · Jul 11, 2011

Hi,

When I opened the picture 1 in Paint, and enlarged it 10 times, the mystery bird shows wings with blackish front and rear edge and white middle part, consistent with albatrosses. Also, length ratio of head+neck:wing base:rump+tail in Greater Black-backed Gull is about 1:1:1 and in your bird and albatrosses more like 1.5:1:1.5. Also, rounded tail becomes clearly visible (incosistent with Gannet) and the bird has clear dark head and neck. I am sure somebody with more than 5 min time could squeeze more details out of these pictures.

I would definitely have second thoughts about this bird!

lou salomon · Jul 11, 2011

another fiddling with photoshop on the two best pics.
no gull for me. i've no experience with albatrosses, especially not overhead!
the bird does seem to be in moult - does it show like this in albatrosses?

shifty_steve · Jul 11, 2011

I work in the building trade and estimate lengths as part of my job, Im good at lengths from afar, 7 foot at least.

Thanks

Steve

Simon Wates · Jul 11, 2011

Even discounting the contrasts on the underwings as a photo artefact or moult theories, I thought that this was no Gannet or gull. I'm so glad that Lou, Jurek and Steve had the guts to post on this - as otherwise I would have stayed in the audience. Looks damn good for an Albatross sp. to me, however unlikely.

Didn't that Yellow-nosed Albatross travel inland in July?

lou salomon · Jul 11, 2011

aren't those the famous 2 kinks in the wings of diomedeidae? look at the 2nd pic (#15) and follow the leading edge from base to tip...but i told you i don't know albatrosses.

shifty_steve · Jul 11, 2011

Thinking about the low flying mentioned earlier this wouldn't have been possible due to the surrounding hills on all sides (some of Cumbria's highest i think) also the lake Buttermere joins up almost with Crummock water and the flight path was from one lake to another...just a thought...lots of water from sea to inland.

Cheers

Steve

I have adjusted contrast on the above pic.

OlaB · Jul 11, 2011

shifty_steve said:
Thinking about the low flying mentioned earlier this wouldn't have been possible due to the surrounding hills on all sides (some of Cumbria's highest i think) also the lake Buttermere joins up almost with Crummock water and the flight path was from one lake to another...just a thought...lots of water from sea to inland.

Cheers

Steve

I have adjusted contrast on the above pic.

Beginning to look pretty good indeed. I probably should have stayed away from this one. From Gannet to gull to possible albatross. :-C

Alan henry · Jul 11, 2011

For what its worth it does not look like an albatross to me. Wings & tail just don't look right.

Cheers

Alan
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Albatross possible sighting Uk ?? (1 Viewer)

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