Another buzzard from Romania, Greci region, April 2022 (1 Viewer)

[xrxss15]

Not a very good shot. Is this a Long-legged Buzzard?

Regards,
Joh

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Indeed it is, lovely photo!

 

[xrxss15]

Here is another raptor from that area. Raptors keep giving me trouble, but I assume this is a Booted eagle? Seems it did catch a lizard.

 

[KenM]

To my eye this looks more Buteo than Booted, am thinking another rufinus?

Cheers

 

[tconzemi]

A beautiful dark Booted indeed

 

[xrxss15]

To my eye this looks more Buteo than Booted, am thinking another rufinus?

Cheers

The number of fingers made me think of Booted and I guess there might be white landing lights.

 

[KenM]

A beautiful dark Booted indeed

Never seen such a dark compact Booted before…until now.😮

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Never seen such a dark compact Booted before…until now.😮

Me too!
But the compact shape is mainly the result of the bird beeing slightly tilted towards the photographer. Yes, at first you can get the impression that the bird is in full profile (like in an ID-book), but it is not.

And the appearant darkness is slightly enhanced by the backlit situation and the ability of modern sensors to reproduce details and colours in shadow areas. Thats no offence you know, thats amazing!

(Yes, darkness of this bird is within variation for a Booted Eagle)

 

[xrxss15]

And the appearant darkness is slightly enhanced by the backlit situation and the ability of modern sensors to reproduce details and colours in shadow areas. Thats no offence you know, thats amazing!

That's right! The bird is backlit and very dark against the sky in the original shot. I lightened it considerably in post processing to make the underwing details visible.