Persistence of Vision

Birdwatchers?

Posted by g33kThug on August 23, 2009, 22:02:45

This summer we've had a pair of very large visitors gracefully soaring over the garden.

They are huge birds but very difficult to photograph because they move very quickly and fly extremely high.

Anybody got any ideas what they are?

They are hunting over North Essex arable farmland and small areas of woodland around the Colne Valley.

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Re: Birdwatchers?

Posted by smash on August 23, 2009, 22:25:03, in reply to "Birdwatchers?"

Hmmm. looks very similar to a raptor i saw on the Isle Sheppy today after spending the weekend on my mates yacht. I think it might be a Red Kite.

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Re: Birdwatchers?

Posted by g33kThug on August 24, 2009, 10:43:02, in reply to "Re: Birdwatchers?"

I took a look at a couple of books last night and reckon that they're Buzzards. Be great to have Red Kites but the tail on these is a different shape and they've got a distinctive black fringe around lower part of the wing that the Kites don't have.

Almost visited Sheppey yesterday... got hot and bothered in Bluewater standing in a massive queue to meet Michelle Paver (youngest daughter's favourite author). Suggested we head east to Sheppey or Sea Salter but she refused on the grounds that she didn't have her swimming costume with her and couldn't stand to be near water if she couldn't go in.

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Re: Birdwatchers?

Posted by smash on August 24, 2009, 13:00:43, in reply to "Re: Birdwatchers?"

Sounds like you've got the ID on the raptors, Buzzards - known to attack humans when they feel their young are threatened.

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Re: Birdwatchers?

Posted by Sue S on August 24, 2009, 13:10:59, in reply to "Re: Birdwatchers?"

Yes, they are buzzards. Nice to see how widely spread they are now.

Sue.

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Re: Birdwatchers?

Posted by Hellward on August 26, 2009, 0:32:51, in reply to "Birdwatchers?"

Looks like a Buzzard, 2nd to last picture. Kites have darker markers under wing, and tails' far less rounded. Nice photos.

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