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

Harrier SW France (1 Viewer)

Maëlle

Well-known member
Hi !
It was seen yesterday while trying to watch a Pallid Harrier which is currently in the area.
The Pallid showed himself a few minutes after this one.

Is this OK for you for a 2nd winter Hen Harrier or not?
What about this greyish P10? It looks adult feather-like but is it just an old worn juvenile flight feather (but doesn’t look very rusty/brownish, not easy maybe with this poor light)?
This whitish mask? Quite weak black trailing edge?

What do you think about this bird ?
 

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Defenitily a most interesting bird. Not only P1 shows not enough black but so does P5 and even P4 should show a broad dark tip. Hybrid would be my guess and I would like to hear Dick Forsman's opinion, you should mail him these pictures (dickforsman.com)
 
Let me explain the reasoning behind my madness...

First off I believe this can be aged as an advanced 2cy (perhaps even a 3cy, I'm not sure) due to the streaked breast, faint collar, white around eye and brown tinted upperwing coverts. I also think that p10 is 'adult-type' and not juvenile.

Of course I'm probably wrong as hybrids are very rare but here are my thoughts...

Pallid features

- Thin and weak trailing edge

- White p10 with diffuse black tip

- Head shape


Hen features

- Bulging outer secondaries

- Fingered p6/five distinct fingers


Intermediate features

- Extent of black in outer primaries reaching to primary coverts

- Black on p5
 
Dick Forsman thinks this it is indeed a pallid x hen harrier. Thank you very much for your participation to the ID of this bird!
 
Wow great work. How does that get counted though. I'm sure it's been done a million times but I guess that it can't be counted as either....
 
Dick Forsman thinks this it is indeed a pallid x hen harrier. Thank you very much for your participation to the ID of this bird!

That's fascinating: great to see another example documented! Thanks for posting, especially that very instructive first image.
Brian
 
Agree to this harrier showing clear hybrid features, now also confirmed by DF. Great pic showing mentioned fetures well!

JanJ
 
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