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Short-eared Owl (was- Bird of prey ID)?

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  • 25-07-2011 11:26am
    #1
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭


    Good morning all,

    Was out walking this morning along the dunes and a fairly large bird of prey got up just in front of me. Panic to get the camera up and get a shot of it. Its not one of the usual ones I see around here I think.
    Anybody any idea what it might be from a snap shot.
    Matt.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/obroin/5973812684/


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    #2
    gunterwest
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭gunterwest


    Looks like a young buzzard to me. They are normally darker but this appears to be a young one so still has its baby feathers which will darken with time. Can't be 100% certain from the angle but if I had to make an educated guess. Seems too big to be anything else


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    #3
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭OBROIN


    Hi gunterwest,

    Thought of that but the tail appears to be forked which put me off. It had a long wingspan and caught me by surprise. It flew over a ridge and I followed it but couldnt see it again. Buzzards are common enough around the area further north.


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    #4
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    im actually thinking its some sort of owl.

    could be totally wrong though.


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    #5
    stevensi
    Registered Users Posts: 421 ✭✭stevensi


    Thats a short eared owl for me!


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    #6
    gunterwest
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭gunterwest


    It's possibly an owl, but looking at the line of the wings, say: the ends of the wing feathers they seem to be fairly fine entry line. An owls wings have jagged entry lines to reduce the sound of flight. Maybe its just not visible at this angle, but to me, I'd still say juvenile buzzard.


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    #7
    gunterwest
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭gunterwest


    stevensi wrote: »
    Thats a short eared owl for me!

    The colouration is very similar to a SEO, but the owls tail is convex in profile, this bird is concave.


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    #8
    gunterwest
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭gunterwest


    Where was the photo taken? It could be a kite?! If your down wicklow direction I'd say thats exactly what it is. A Young Red Kite.


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    #9
    stevensi
    Registered Users Posts: 421 ✭✭stevensi


    Could just be the angle of the photo in relation to the tail but if you look at the wing pattern especialy the underwing it is a Short Eared Owl.

    The terrain is also perfect for a Short Eared Owl


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    #10
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭OBROIN


    It was taken in the dunes down near Clogherhead. I thought of short eared owl as they have been seen around that area over the years. The tail is still putting me off. The camera was set up for perched linnets and larks etc. so settings werent good for this. Took 2 other shots that were totally out of focus.


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    #11
    gunterwest
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭gunterwest


    what time of day was it taken? looks a bit bright for an owl to be out. That's the main thing that put me off the owl idea. Having said that, I was reading up on them while I was typing this, and I think you may be right, the dark tips under the wings appear very similar. http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/short-eared-owl.asp

    Well spotted. I think.

    Google some images of young red kites and compare see what you think.


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    #12
    stevensi
    Registered Users Posts: 421 ✭✭stevensi


    Short Eared Owls hunt during the day.


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    #13
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭OBROIN


    It was taken this morning abt 9.00am. I was actually after seeing a another small peculiarly coloured bird flying in that direction and waded into high grass after it when this bird got up. It flew very low over the grass and dropped down over the ridge. Rather out of focus shot:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/obroin/5973389577/


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    #14
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭OBROIN


    Thanks guys for all the replies and thanks to stevensi for nailing it on the head first time. My cousin looks after injured raptors and the like from time to time and like stenensi straight away said Short eared owl. He was certain when he saw the out of focus ones.

    Cheers all.


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    #15
    Traonach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 419 ✭✭Traonach


    Short-eared owl.
    The in-focus picture is diagnostic to separate short-eared owl from long-eared owl. When you look at the underwing pattern you can see three distinct black bands on the right wing tip (short-eared has this pattern).Long eared owl has much narrower black bands and bands number 4-5.


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    #16
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    OBROIN wrote: »
    Thanks guys for all the replies and thanks to stevensi for nailing it on the head first time. My cousin looks after injured raptors and the like from time to time and like stenensi straight away said Short eared owl. He was certain when he saw the out of focus ones.

    Cheers all.

    ah.... hello.. i said owl first!:p


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    #17
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭OBROIN


    Humblest apologies trebor28, you are absolutely right.:o Thanks again all.


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    #18
    OBROIN
    Registered Users Posts: 21 ✭OBROIN


    Sorry Traonach,

    Just saw your post now. That was what struck me about that photo, most people would get pictures of owls head on so there would no problem IDing it. It will remember that for future reference.

    I thought it was a bit early for Short Ears here but its obviously not. There is plenty of rabbits around that area so maybe they are using that as a food source. Plenty of carcassses on the roads around.

    Thanks again
    Matt


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