Eagle sp, Lake Kerkini, Greece (1 Viewer)

[pdwinter]

I was told in the field that this bird was a dark phase Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus but I wondered it it was a Lesser Spotted Eagle Clanga pomarina .
Lake Kerkini, Greece, 20.06.23

 

[Butty]

I'm with you. It's not a booted eagle.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Paul,
I agree with you and Butty.
The paler parts in the wings, ghosting some kind of Booted Eagle look alike pattern ( but not the same)is the result of different generation feathers, the paler ones are worn and bleached. so it’s an immature bird, thanks Tom again!

And I agree with you both, it looks like a Lesser Spotted Eagle or me too.

 

[tconzemi]

It’s a Spotted Eagle, some immature traits left indeed, but I have some mixed feelings about the species: is that iris yellow? Small bill but no double crescent, rather dark bird and barring seems to stop well before tip on inner primaries in right wing…
Either LSE and photo artefacts or hybrid

 

[pdwinter]

It’s a Spotted Eagle, some immature traits left indeed, but I have some mixed feelings about the species: is that iris yellow? Small bill but no double crescent, rather dark bird and barring seems to stop well before tip on inner primaries in right wing…
Either LSE and photo artefacts or hybrid

Thanks tconzemi - I will see if I have any better photos (or can get any details out of the shadows for the eye)

 

[pdwinter]

I'm afraid this is the best I can do on the iris and I have no other angles other than in the original post

 

[tconzemi]

Iris looks yellow here, so LSE possibly not pure