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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Raptors! (1 Viewer)

bryan0755

Well-known member
Flying today over Coatham Marsh, Redcar, Cleveland, (North East) England.
Raptor 1 was being mobed by Crows. Raptor 2 was seen 2 hours later soaring before heading south. Wasn't sure if it was the same bird? Photos are not very good!

ID much appreciated.

Bryan
 

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the first bird looks like a female marsh harrier... hard to tell on the second one, it could be the same bird, but I'm not sure.
 
Going by 2nd image raptor 1 looks to be a creamcrown Marsh Harrier. Is image 1 the same bird?
Raptor 2 looks a bit like MH but would hesitate given the angle of the images.
 
Marsh Harrier for the first two photo's.

Second two - facially, the bird seems to be more owl-like than I would expect of an MH. Do you remember enough of the second bird to give us more details on it, Bryan?

Cheers,

Andy.
 
Andrew Rowlands said:
Marsh Harrier for the first two photo's.

Second two - facially, the bird seems to be more owl-like than I would expect of an MH. Do you remember enough of the second bird to give us more details on it, Bryan?

Cheers,

Andy.
There does appear to be damage to tails feathers on both birds, therefore do believe they are the same, unfortuneately the second bird was very high. It was the head colouring that confused me.
 
The first two are nice clear Marsh Harriers. I can't think what the other two can really be other than MH's but as Andrew says the head does look odd...
 
bryan0755 said:
There does appear to be damage to tails feathers on both birds, therefore do believe they are the same, unfortuneately the second bird was very high. It was the head colouring that confused me.

I don't know whether it's a peculiarity of Marsh Harriers but they do thermal to great heights. A few years ago I watched five individuals thermal out of sight with the naked eye over Blacktoft Sands.

John.
 
john barclay said:
I don't know whether it's a peculiarity of Marsh Harriers but they do thermal to great heights. A few years ago I watched five individuals thermal out of sight with the naked eye over Blacktoft Sands.

John.
I think they go high to get some peace and quiet!
 
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