Golden eagle in Galway?

scrubber72

Dropping gf into town this morning around 10. On the oranmore bypass just past the bridge on the right hand side I spotted what is the biggest bird of prey I have ever seen. Can someone let me know if it was infact a golden eagle. I am aware there is a sancutary in Ulster somewhere but do they fly this far south

pleasant Co.

Did you get a picture?

civis_liberalis

Wrong forum to be asking in tbh.

scrubber72

sorry was driving and if this is in the wrong forum can the mods please move it thanks

biko

Galway to Bird Watching forum. Some background for the Galway peeps:

The Golden Eagle Reintroduction Project is managed by the Golden Eagle Trust Limited in partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
The programme seeks to re-establish a viable self-sustaining breeding population of golden eagles in north-west Ireland after an absence of almost 100 years.

Golden eagles gets poisoned by farmers or gamekeepers.

Das Kitty

Without a piccy it's going to be nearly impossible to tell.

Golden Eagles and Sea Eagles tend not to wander too far from their nesting grounds in the winter when not mating, I'd be surprised if it were one of the Ulster birds.

Maybe give a ring up to the reintroduction group up there and they'll know fairly quickly whether one of their lads is gone on holiday.

josey_whale

scrubber72 wrote: »

Dropping gf into town this morning around 10. On the oranmore bypass just past the bridge on the right hand side I spotted what is the biggest bird of prey I have ever seen. Can someone let me know if it was infact a golden eagle. I am aware there is a sancutary in Ulster somewhere but do they fly this far south

The golden eagle was reintroduced to Glenveagh National Park in Donegal. Some 40 birds were released between 2002 and 2006. They are quite a common sight along the west coast of Ireland.

See here for more details - including gps tracking and sightings...

http://www.goldeneagle.ie

Das Kitty

Looks like I'm wrong about them travelling!

Would love to see a bird on the wing, best I ever saw was one perched in a tree.

scrubber72

Thanks for info regarding the golden eagle trust. I have mailed them regarding the sighting and await their response. I will let you know what I hear back. On the way home to oranmore i drove around for a while hoping to see it again but no luck

jmkennedyie

Have you ruled out Buzzard? Population is growing westwards. Enormous bird, much more common than either eagle.

scrubber72

no it definitely was an eagle of some breed. Cant get over how big he/she was. fuppin huge:eek:

Kess73

A buzzard in the air can easily be mistaken as an eagle. Buzzards are a large bird with a wingspan that can be between three to four and a half feet.


A Golden eagle sighting in Galway would not be unheard of though, as younger birds have been sighted as far down as Clare.

scrubber72

hi kess just checked pics of buzzard and eagles and you could well be right. My image of a buzzard was something like a vulture. Still though cool to see so close to the city

Terrier

I've seen Buzzards a few times around Oranmore and Claregalway, small population of rabbits in that area so food supplies are available for them..still haven't seen a pair though always single birds

klaus23

Most likely a buzzard, though still rare in these parts. They have a very distinct "K-iiiiiiii" call.

As birds of prey go, a buzzard is huge if you've never seen one and are comparing them to, say, a Herring Gull which is one of the larger local birds... but trust me, a Golden Eagle is huge.

Never saw one in Donegal, but have seen a few circling in the Sperrins near Omagh and I was amazed at how big they were.

Keep an eye out for Kestrels too, they're wonderful little birds.

jmkennedyie

Hmmm... Hen Harrier another option... some head to our coast in winter... might be more common than Buzzard around that part of the country...

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Based on recent Golden Eagle and Buzzard sightings this was most likely a Common Buzzard (Buteo Buteo).

Terrier

Seen it today, pirched on a tree as i drove up the inbound dual carraigeway to the Clinic hospital before you come to the top of the hill.
100% confirmed it's a Buzzard.