Large raptor over london this morning. (1 Viewer)

[Mutter]

Morning all

I didn't know whether to post this here on in the rare birds section but I think here is best.(please move if appropriate mods)

This morning whilst walking to work in central London I spotted what I thought was a buzzard or large raptor over the West end. Did any body else see it or has anyone heard of this.

I guess the location would have been south of the BT tower between New Cavendish Street and Oxford St, south east of Regents Park. Now London Zoo is in Regents Park so maybe it's an escapee but I lost sight of it travelling in an easterly direction south of the BT tower. The time I spotted it was 8.57am and lost sight by 9.01am.

It was too far away and high up to get a positive ID but it was circling quite high up, just like a buzzard, it certainly wasn't one of the peregrines often seen in this area and definitely not a gull, corvid or pigeon.

Just wanted to know if anyone else has heard of a sighting, certainly I've never seen such a bird in this area before.

thanks

andy

 

[deborah4]

A description would be helpful!

Red Kite fly over London quite often

 

[Mutter]

A description would be helpful!

Red Kite fly over London quite often

Hi deborah,

Hard to describe any more than I have really due to distance. It wasn't a Red Kite as it didn't have a forked tail. The closest I could compare it to from my own experiences is a buzzard.

andy

 

[matt green]

Any possibility of it being a Harrier on the move?

Matt

 

[aythya_hybrid]

Buzzards are seen reasonably regularly - well, they ain't common but they're fairly regular - over London. Assuming it wasn't a Red Kite, Marsh Harrier is the only other vaguely likely possibility.

 

[Drumming Sniper]

What about Honey Buzzard? It wouldn't be the first time one of those has been reported drifting over London and we're approaching the time of year when this species begins its autumn migration.