French Pyrenees autumn 2023 (1 Viewer)

[dragnil]

Working though images from a recent trip I have a couple I'd like to be more certain of and any help would be appreciated but please give reasons so I can learn.



I'm useless with gulls and even more so if they are not adult, my instinct is to fall back on LBBG but a more ceratin ID would be appreciated.

The shots below are of a raptor which we thought was a Short-toed Eagle at the time. However, I have a history of calling very pale Buzzards all sorts of things and a friend who is much more expert than I says that this is also a Buzzard. Despite the seemingly small head, the wing shape and markings together with barred tail feathers still lead me to the eagle.
Opinions please and, again, please give reasons.

 

[Butty]

An immature big gull and a short-toed eagle (wing-, tail- and head-patterns, head/face-shape).

 

[Sangahyando]

Second set is a Short-toed Eagle moulting some primaries, which makes the hand look a bit narrower. The tail with evenly spaced bars and sharp corners is a good pointer. Also, perhaps most importantly, the lack of a pronounced carpal patch which Buzzards should always have in some form.

 

[Bewick]

Don’t worry you’re right this time- that is a short toed eagle 100%.

 

[lou salomon]

The gull is a hatch year Yellow-legged Gull, note pale head with a smudge around eye (thus eye looking big), and venetian blind effect (pale/dark) on inner primaries, would be mostly all dark in LBBG.

 

[dragnil]

Thanks, Lou, that's really helpful and thanks to all eagle advisors. (I love StEagles!)