Marsh Harrier (was - BoP ID)

whyulittle

Any idea on this one?

It could be a Buzzard, but looks different than the one I was mostly seeing. See the different colour on the 'shoulders'. It lacked the white band above the tail on the Hen Harrier, and wasn't hovering like a Kestrel.

I have no idea of numbers on any of the birds in the area.

Unknown


Buzzard


Hen Harrier

trebor28

i would go with Buzzard also, might it just be a juvenile with some downy feathers which it hasnt gotten rid of?

LostCovey

Great photo - looks like a young Marsh Harrier.

Was this taken in Co. Wexford by any chance?

LostCovey

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Marsh harrier

LostCovey

Changing my mind, I think I prefer Trebor28's call with a further look at it.

LC

LostCovey

Have you more photos? I am assuming you didn't just take the one?


Its an intriguing bird.

I think the tail is rather short for Marsh Harrier.

LC

whyulittle

From Lough Boora in Offaly, which does get Marsh Harriers.

trebor28

have you got a higher res pic of the first one that you could upload WUL?

is the beak bigger or does it just appear that way?

edit: are you saying all the pics are from Lough Boura?

whyulittle

Everything is from Lough Boora today.

The pic in post 7 is the only other shot I got in focus, (and isn't a random Marsh Harrier shot from Lough Boora, which it may have come across as).

This is about as cropped as it will go.

LostCovey

whyulittle wrote: »

Everything is from Lough Boora today.

The pic in post 7 is the only other shot I got in focus, (and isn't a random Marsh Harrier shot from Lough Boora, which it may have come across as).

This is about as cropped as it will go.

Back where I started!

Marsh Harrier.

Great find and photos.


LC

LostCovey

whyulittle wrote: »

From Lough Boora in Offaly, which does get Marsh Harriers.

This is definitely a Harrier profile, much more slender-winged and long-taled than a buzzard

LostCovey

trebor28 wrote: »

have you got a higher res pic of the first one that you could upload WUL?

is the beak bigger or does it just appear that way?

I think the beak looked big because the pale crown makes the head look small - it is an artefact.

LC

whyulittle

Nice one, been a productive couple of days over there so.

At the time I presumed it was a Buzzard, with the lack of a white flash over the tail (The Hen Harrier was in the immediate area at the time as well).

Thanks all.

whyulittle

Marsh Harrier again today I think?

The white underside to the wing and the black wingtips look like the graphic on the RSPB site.

Flew out from wetlands.

whyulittle

I am thinking there might be two birds now.

Spotted this one today, with white wingtips, and looks the same as the first bird on the back.

Would welcome any expert opinions.

LostCovey

I think the first bird is a juvenile Hen Harrier and the second one is the original Marsh Harrier, but open to correction on that.

LC

whyulittle

I was chatting to a guy there who had seen one with a grey tail, which he had ID'ed as the male. I spooked the bird out of long grass later in the day (was within feet of it but never saw it ). This is the one with the larger black wingtips.

whyulittle

No sign of the other bird today.

whyulittle

Got a little bit closer today. It has a very white/grey tail underneath.

whyulittle

Here's the verdict from the guys at the Golden Eagle Trust.

GET wrote:

This birds def a Marsh harrier. From the pics appears to me to be an immature male, prob 2nd summer. Head looks female like but it lacks the red-brown tail and has the pale panels on the underwing of a male.

whyulittle

Look away now if you're sick of this thread.

Two of them today!

There were two separate Marsh Harrier sightings on Irish Birding today. One female at Lough Boora, and one unspecified at nearby Banagher.

LostCovey

whyulittle wrote: »

Look away now if you're sick of this thread.

I don't find it easy to look away from Marsh Harriers, gorgeous things.

whyulittle

Ah I know yeah. It's just frustrating getting inconclusive shots. It was even a lovely day when I set out, but had mostly clouded over by this stage.

In better news, I did have separate confirmed male and female Hen Harrier sightings.