Golden Eagles spotted Crawleyside/Stanhope Moor Durham? (1 Viewer)

[StevieBump]

Re: Photos taken yesterday when out on a bike ride around Stanhope Moor of Durham
Hi there, I'm new to the forum with a modest interest in UK birds, nothing too fanatical. However, after sharing these photos with my dad initially thinking it was a Red Kite or perhaps Marsh Harrier, my dad now thinks it could actually have been a pair of Golden Eagles rumored to have been spotted around the Durham area since April last year. Excuse the poor quality/lack of close ups - all I had was my phone and the enlarged images aren't very good - but what do people think; any ideas on what birds these could these be?

 

[tconzemi]

Stick with your initial ID
And welcome to BF

 

[Southern Frogmouth]

Hi Stevie,

Welcome to Birdforum. Definitely Red Kites as you first suspected. Looking at the left hand photo with the tail spread it shows acute corners to the tail - indicating that it would appear forked when held normally. So forked tail and the bright plumage are sure signs of Red Kites.

Cheers

Roy

 

[StevieBump]

Stick with your initial ID
And welcome to BF

Thought so! Spot thanks for the quick reply

 

[StevieBump]

Hi Stevie,

Welcome to Birdforum. Definitely Red Kites as you first suspected. Looking at the left hand photo with the tail spread it shows acute corners to the tail - indicating that it would appear forked when held normally. So forked tail and the bright plumage are sure signs of Red Kites.

Cheers

Roy

Thanks again for confirming. I hope they managed to find enough food up on the moors, not sure if they'd have a go at dead sheep roadside - passed a few of those up there!

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Just wanted to say welcome to BirdForum from all the staff and moderators Stevie.

Rich

 

[Southern Frogmouth]

Thanks again for confirming. I hope they managed to find enough food up on the moors, not sure if they'd have a go at dead sheep roadside - passed a few of those up there!

They are scavengers and so as long as they can access the flesh easily they wouldn't have a problem with sheep. I have certainly seen them over moorland in the highlands of Scotland, Findhorn Valley etc., so I am sure food isn't a problem for them in that habitat.

 

[kb57]

The problem with Weardale is unfortunately less about lack of food and more about attitudes of some towards birds of prey. Gateshead red kites have possibly been the least successful of all the reintroduction programmes - still doing OK in their core area but mysteriously failing to spread beyond it into suitable habitat in the Tyne and Wear valleys.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

Thanks again for confirming. I hope they managed to find enough food up on the moors, not sure if they'd have a go at dead sheep roadside - passed a few of those up there!

Every time I go to Muggleswick/Waskerley area I see red kite but never around Stanhope. As for dead sheep, it's absolutely ridiculous. I've seen lambs that have been ran over around those moor roads leading from Stanhope to Edmundbyers. How is it possible to run over a sheep.

 

[StevieBump]

Just wanted to say welcome to BirdForum from all the staff and moderators Stevie.

Rich

Thankyou and hello everyone

 

[StevieBump]

The problem with Weardale is unfortunately less about lack of food and more about attitudes of some towards birds of prey. Gateshead red kites have possibly been the least successful of all the reintroduction programmes - still doing OK in their core area but mysteriously failing to spread beyond it into suitable habitat in the Tyne and Wear valleys.

Yeah I spot them fairly frequently around Chopwell and Derwent Walk

 

[davand1777]

Been to Bollihope Burn today … 1st visit.

Im far from a bird watcher and seen numerous birds of prey when walking various places but honestly was astounded see the bird i saw today and the size of it .
We had walked past caravan parks and cabins and followed river and then reached large rock face on left (before reach the walls either side that used as climbing walls) It was perched in tree with lighter coloured head (not white) and as I alerted my partner it flew through tree opening and back down path we had walked up and its wing span was genuinely as wide as the path .

Without doubt biggest bird i have ever seen and was convinced could only be eagle due to sheer size of it … other birds like kite ive seen with large wing span but the torso of this was larger than those i believe.

I have almost zero knowledge of areas various birds of prey located or spotted so googled to see if could be eagle in that area and pleasantly surprised with various tales and sightings and thought would go to trouble of sharing with you

Still shocked and surprised …. But made my day 😊

 

[maplekong]

Been to Bollihope Burn today … 1st visit.

Im far from a bird watcher and seen numerous birds of prey when walking various places but honestly was astounded see the bird i saw today and the size of it .
We had walked past caravan parks and cabins and followed river and then reached large rock face on left (before reach the walls either side that used as climbing walls) It was perched in tree with lighter coloured head (not white) and as I alerted my partner it flew through tree opening and back down path we had walked up and its wing span was genuinely as wide as the path .

Without doubt biggest bird i have ever seen and was convinced could only be eagle due to sheer size of it … other birds like kite ive seen with large wing span but the torso of this was larger than those i believe.

I have almost zero knowledge of areas various birds of prey located or spotted so googled to see if could be eagle in that area and pleasantly surprised with various tales and sightings and thought would go to trouble of sharing with you

Still shocked and surprised …. But made my day 😊

Hi, do you remember anything else about it? You could ask your partner as well.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Light head is good for Red Kite - they have a wingspan of 140-165cm (4'7"-5'6"), easily the width of a footpath.

 

[davand1777]

It had shabby head feathers … not fluid and smooth down back like most birds
Body and rear was mix of dark and light brown with light tail feathers.

Sorry if very vague and not much help … may well have been kite but was a beautiful sight !!

 

[StevieBump]

Been to Bollihope Burn today … 1st visit.

Im far from a bird watcher and seen numerous birds of prey when walking various places but honestly was astounded see the bird i saw today and the size of it .
We had walked past caravan parks and cabins and followed river and then reached large rock face on left (before reach the walls either side that used as climbing walls) It was perched in tree with lighter coloured head (not white) and as I alerted my partner it flew through tree opening and back down path we had walked up and its wing span was genuinely as wide as the path .

Without doubt biggest bird i have ever seen and was convinced could only be eagle due to sheer size of it … other birds like kite ive seen with large wing span but the torso of this was larger than those i believe.

I have almost zero knowledge of areas various birds of prey located or spotted so googled to see if could be eagle in that area and pleasantly surprised with various tales and sightings and thought would go to trouble of sharing with you

Still shocked and surprised …. But made my day 😊

Wow that sounds spectacular - Apparently you know when you've seen an eagle; they resemble a.'flying door'.. square edges wings and huge!

 

[Farnboro John]

Every time I go to Muggleswick/Waskerley area I see red kite but never around Stanhope. As for dead sheep, it's absolutely ridiculous. I've seen lambs that have been ran over around those moor roads leading from Stanhope to Edmundbyers. How is it possible to run over a sheep.

It used to be almost impossible not to but IMHO modern sheep are a bit smarter than their forebears: Darwin strikes again. Only a bit though.

John

 

[davand1777]

It was honestly breathtaking and honestly believe it was eagle when saw briefly stationery before flew in opposite direction …. It flew away quite low along path as lot of covering of trees but as soon as gap it rose and away .
If was anything but an eagle then i cant even begin to think how big one of those wud be .

Im 5’11 and slim(ish) and we both agreed its wings were as big as my arm span easily

Was a pleasure to see so close … whatever it was !

 

[Bewick]

It was honestly breathtaking and honestly believe it was eagle when saw briefly stationery before flew in opposite direction …. It flew away quite low along path as lot of covering of trees but as soon as gap it rose and away .
If was anything but an eagle then i cant even begin to think how big one of those wud be .

Im 5’11 and slim(ish) and we both agreed its wings were as big as my arm span easily

Was a pleasure to see so close … whatever it was !

You'd be surprised how large the wingspans of our casual raptors. Red kites can have wingspans of 1.9 meters, our common buzzard can have wingspans of 1.3/4 meters.

 

[maplekong]

A golden eagle's wingspan would be larger than your height, if I remember correctly.