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Large BoP identity?

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  • 13-04-2015 9:00pm
    #1
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,740 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi folks,
    This is a long shot I know, and I have no photos as I spotted this bird on the other side of a motorway as I whizzed past in my car, but I wonder if anyone can shed light on what this bird could have been :)
    I saw this bird just outside Ballymena in Antrim. I suppose, on reflection, not too far at all from Lough Neagh.
    It was a very large bird of prey, with a bill very much shaped like an eagle's or osprey's... Long and strongly hooked at the tip, and it had feathers around its legs as if wearing trousers. It was brown in colour.
    The odd thing was that it was sitting in the top of a tall bush, maybe 15 foot from the ground, and it looked pretty uncomfortable in this stance, for all the world as if it had just landed and thought "oops"!
    I'm very familiar with buzzards, I'm lucky enough to see them every day... This bird was much bigger. The closest I've ever seen to it in real life is a Golden Eagle... But could it have been? Or a female osprey? Or a white-tailed eagle?
    Hoping somebody might know something that might narrow down the options!


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    #2
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    Afaik each of the bops you mentioned have been up that way. Breeding pairs so it could be any one of them.
    Any coloration other than brown? Colour of tail feathers or tips of feathers?
    Could be a goldie


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    #3
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,740 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    Sorry, I know my description is vague, it was a backwards glance over my shoulder whilst I was driving, in response to my OH saying "what the jayzus is THAT?" :D
    Can't get any more specific re the colouring. The only thing I have my doubts about is that I'm not sure it was *quite* big enough to be a Golden. It was huge, I'm just not sure it was that huge!
    I know NI tends to get visitors from Scotland, as well as our own rre-introductions, I wish I'd got a closer look at this one!


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    #4
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Golden eagle rare outside Donegal. Most of Sea eagles in western Counties from Galway to Cork.
    Ospreys on migration now.
    Any indication on colour? Common things are common, rare things rare!


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    #5
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,740 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    Thanks Capercaillie,
    My hunch is that it was a female osprey, I'm thinking she likes the look of Lough Neagh as a spot to hunt on her travels?
    I don't think this bird was dark enough to be a Golden. This bird was a lightish brown, not too far from a buzzardy colour, and as I said above, I'm just not convinced that it was *quite* big enough to be a Golden.
    Sorry I can't give you details about plumage and markings :o


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