Raptor, Northern Albania (1 Viewer)

[Valéry Schollaert]

I've never seen that combination of dark fingers, extensive pale primary bases, shaded secondaries and dark coverts in MH.
Brian

Here is one.
http://farm8.static.flickr.com/7202/7055764663_ba9f5246d4.jpg

Don't forget we have a terrible picture taken from below in a bright sky... pettern matches perfectly, as you say: dark fingers, extensive pale primary bases, darker secondaries and dark coverts.

I don't understand why it is not obvious to you as shappe is also matching, as say Tom.

 

[phil baber]

Common perhaps. Honey is my choice...

 

[Tib78]

If I am not mistaken, the picture wasn't flatten out well during the scanning process.(Lightroom users: upload the pic onto the software, you'll see what I mean)

Anyway, I have manipulated the image a little bit (mainly distorsion). And here is what I come up with. Make up your mind...I know what I think, but that's a very difficult pic IMO.

 

[kNikS]

If I am not mistaken, the picture wasn't flatten out well during the scanning process.(Lightroom users: upload the pic onto the software, you'll see what I mean)

Anyway, I have manipulated the image a little bit (mainly distorsion). And here is what I come up with. Make up your mind...I know what I think, but that's a very difficult pic IMO.

Black kite, with some of it outer tail feathers missing?

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Amazing work Tib, but can we rely on what we see? Right wing is clearly black-tipped, left appeared whitish... I keep on Marsh Harrier but wonder what is your conclusion... so often correct.

 

[Foxy]

I think it proves once again that photos are not a replacement for the notebook!

 

[Tib78]

[...]but wonder what is your conclusion...

It's more of an opinion than a conclusion really!

My first reaction on seeing the picture was Honey buzzard, but then when Marsh harrier was suggested, I thought ''could be...'' and decided to let it go (I was involved into too many controversial ID threads recently).

Anyway, here we go:
- If the primary pattern is real then no way it's a Marsh harrier.
- the tail is long but its shape looks somewhat problematical for MH; if it were just a little broader-based then it would be quite perfect for HB

After my editing:
- tail shape not too bad for HB
- the head appears somewhat smallish
- the fingers of the right look blunt tipped

There is another detail I hesitate to mention because I can already hear a few "How on Earth can you see this on such an image? bla bla bla...". On tweaking the levels: there is pale spot that starts to appear where the eye should be; it looks particularly bright stand out quite well...suggesting adult HB to me.

Yet, I do understand where the Marsh harrier suggestion comes from and I would have no particular problem to leave this one unidentified...

For example if it a HB, then how old is the bird?
The dark fingers are suggestive of a juv, but the general structure doesn't shout juv HB to me (wings proportionnaly too narrow), perhaps one of those female HB with dark fingers?

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Apart from the apparent small head, which could be explained by the fact that birds often look around, up and down when flying, and this is only one image taken at an instant of time when it could have been looking down (similarly with apparent wing width), does the bird really look that much different from this one?

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

It's more of an opinion than a conclusion really!

My first reaction on seeing the picture was Honey buzzard, but then when Marsh harrier was suggested, I thought ''could be...'' and decided to let it go (I was involved into too many controversial ID threads recently).

Anyway, here we go:
- If the primary pattern is real then no way it's a Marsh harrier.
- the tail is long but its shape looks somewhat problematical for MH; if it were just a little broader-based then it would be quite perfect for HB

After my editing:
- tail shape not too bad for HB
- the head appears somewhat smallish
- the fingers of the right look blunt tipped

There is another detail I hesitate to mention because I can already hear a few "How on Earth can you see this on such an image? bla bla bla...". On tweaking the levels: there is pale spot that starts to appear where the eye should be; it looks particularly bright stand out quite well...suggesting adult HB to me.

Yet, I do understand where the Marsh harrier suggestion comes from and I would have no particular problem to leave this one unidentified...

For example if it a HB, then how old is the bird?
The dark fingers are suggestive of a juv, but the general structure doesn't shout juv HB to me (wings proportionnaly too narrow), perhaps one of those female HB with dark fingers?

Probably we will not agree on this one. Shape of wing is "no way" (IMO) for HB, as tail; head is wide and short (not long and thin). The pattern matches MH as I've shown similar examples already.

 

[eddy the eagle]

Can I put a long legged buzzard in to the equation....Eddy.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Can I put a long legged buzzard in to the equation....Eddy.

I see what you mean.