UK mystery raptor (1 Viewer)

[vwxyzen]

Any thoughts on the bird being mobbed by a Marsh Harrier? Picture from yesterday. West Yorkshire

 

[Nightranger]

Any thoughts on the bird being mobbed by a Marsh Harrier? Picture from yesterday. West Yorkshire

It looks like a dark phase common buzzard to me, the carpal patch is just about visible on the underwing.

 

[fabalis]

Is there a falconry near the place you saw this bird? It seems to have a blueish feet-colour and looks a bit like 1cy Lanner Falcon to me.

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[birdboybowley]

Looks like a falcon to me too

 

[stevethehydra]

I can't see a falcon in this pic - rounded wings with buzzardish pattern, broad tail, solidly mud-brown underparts - while it does look a bit small/short-winged for buzzard, it could be the angle, and CB has shorter wings than MH (although heavier), so it looks like a (small, dark) Buteo buteo buteo to me...

 

[Nightranger]

I can't see a falcon in the image, this bird should be showing paler undersides given that the size comparison only provides goshawk and peregrine (for the location) as possibles on a similar scale. Both should show paler undersides and this bird (allowing for light angles) is uniformly dark apart from the darker carpal patch. Peregrine (and lanner) should show sharper definition on the primaries irrespective of how the bird was flying.

 

[phil baber]

The mystery bird is nearer to the camera than the MH. Blue feet, and overall "patternation" shows it to be, IMHO, a juvenile Peregrine.

As usual the image is tough to go on, but all the clues are there.

 

[Nightranger]

The mystery bird is nearer to the camera than the MH. Blue feet, and overall "patternation" shows it to be, IMHO, a juvenile Peregrine.

As usual the image is tough to go on, but all the clues are there.

Interesting idea Phil. I am intrigued by the straight leading edges to the wing although this could be a photographic effect. The shape of the tail with the hint of white tips to the feathers if good for peregrine but again, the latter seems to be a photographic effect. I can certainly see where you are coming from though and a closer look does reveal the suggestion of a facial mask. However, the bird just seems too dark even for a juv' peregrine and the wing shape seems wrong to me. I still favour a dark phase common buzzard although earlier ideas about an escapee are not compltely ruled out, IMHO.

 

[vwxyzen]

Is there a falconry near the place you saw this bird? It seems to have a blueish feet-colour and looks a bit like 1cy Lanner Falcon to me.

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A free-flying bird with jessies was reported the day before so I assume this could be the bird?
The above photo was forwarded on to me as I didn't see the bird but I have been reliably informed that it was also mobbed by Common Buzzard and Kestrel as well as the Marsh Harrier. Peregrine occurs at the site regularly and is not mobbed by the above as far as I know.
The observer who recorded the bird with jessies thought possible Saker.

 

[Parker]

Looks like a Falcon to me too.

 

[fabalis]

The observer who recorded the bird with jessies thought possible Saker.

The photo is not very brilliant but I think Saker has to be more strongly streaked particular on vent and back-belly making underside as a whole dark.
Lanners turn their Feed-colour to yellow earlier than Sakers but in the beginning of august it is still grey.

But it can be a muddle with Falco maximus best escaped from a falconry |8|| f.

 

[Brian2]

has the look of Buzzard...broad wings / long tail too...could it not be a Honey Buzzard?
Marsh Harrrier would have a problem with that passing through. I can't see falcon but I guess that isolates me on this one.

 

[vwxyzen]

The bird was still around today and proved to be a large Falcon. Saker? or Lanner Saker cross perhaps. It had jessies on.
pics attached.
Thanks for all comments and much respect to those who suggested a Falcon in the first place!

 

[Brian2]

fair play...wing shape looks totally different in this new photo but like you say respect to those that saw iFalcon in the first picture. (I couldn't see it to be honest)

 

[Nightranger]

Blimey O'Reilly, it still looks like a hawk/buzzard in terms of markings but no doubt about the planform in the first of the pictures, it looks like a falcon. Surely it has to be a hybrid falconers bird??? Yet the underwing pattern is reminiscent of a young osprey and are we wrongly interpreting the facial mask? Size is sometimes unreliable, I photographed a 3cy lesser black-back gull earlier this year that was barely bigger than a nearby black-headed gull but showed all the classic plumage of its age. Have we actually put a name to this bird yet?

 

[tconzemi]

Blimey. Have we actually put a name to this bird yet?

Would not even try to do so, even in the hand many of these birds are impossible to id and often even the most beautiful Sakers turn out to be hybrids with Peregrines and cross bred with Gyr

Shoot them

 

[vwxyzen]

Blimey O'Reilly, it still looks like a hawk/buzzard in terms of markings but no doubt about the planform in the first of the pictures, it looks like a falcon. Surely it has to be a hybrid falconers bird??? Yet the underwing pattern is reminiscent of a young osprey and are we wrongly interpreting the facial mask? Size is sometimes unreliable, I photographed a 3cy lesser black-back gull earlier this year that was barely bigger than a nearby black-headed gull but showed all the classic plumage of its age. Have we actually put a name to this bird yet?

If it is the bird that a local falconer is claiming then the bird is -50% Peregrine, 25% Saker, 25% Gyr

 

[phil baber]

If it is the bird that a local falconer is claiming then the bird is -50% Peregrine, 25% Saker, 25% Gyr

Yay! I was half right! o

(But also 2 quarters wrong...:-C)

 

[keith]

I can't be the only one who wishes falconers would stop messing about with these beautiful birds, just leave them as they were meant to be!.

 

[tconzemi]

I can't be the only one who wishes falconers would stop messing about with these beautiful birds, just leave them as they were meant to be!.

look at my last remark :smoke: