Help identify a raptor sighting?

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 11:15am #1

I saw a huge bird flying overhead this morning and I'm wondering if anyone can help identify what it might have been.

I'm in South Mayo in a rural area. The sighting was quite early in the morning, just before sunrise. I'm fairly sure it was a raptor but I'd be open to hearing other possibilities.

Unfortunately, I had no time to get a photo of it. It was flying more or less directly towards me so I only really saw it from that angle. It was flying reasonably low and was being chased by quite a large number of smaller birds of different varieties. There was commotion among all of the other birds in the area as well.

It was an absolutely enormous bird. In terms of raptors, we often see a kestrel here and this bird was several times larger. We also regularly see whooper swans around here and I'd say the wingspan was even larger than that, just to give an idea of size.

It was a very dark colour all over. It looked almost black but it was most likely a very dark brown. I didn't see it close enough to see any variations and I didn't see it from a good enough angle to get a look at the head shape.

Apart from the size, the only other distinctive thing I can describe is the flight. The flapping motion was quite distinctive. It was slow and steady and, rather than the whole wing flapping, the wings were bending more so at the outer part of the wing (I think it might be called the wrist?). Despite the seemingly slow flapping it was moving quite quickly through the sky. Once or twice it stopped flapping and moved slowly downwards as if it was going to land but then it started flying upwards again.

My first thought was an eagle but when I looked at them it seems they're not really found around here and also I didn't think the tail looked fanned out the way the eagle's tail looks, although I was more focused on the wings so I might have missed it. I don't know if there's anything else large enough that it could have been?

I'm afraid that's all I have to describe it. If anyone can suggest some possibilities, I'd love to know what it might have been.

SmartinMartin · 21-01-2021 11:17am

Sounds like a buzzard, beautiful bird.

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 11:25am

SmartinMartin wrote: »

Sounds like a buzzard, beautiful bird.

Thanks. I had a look at the buzzard but I think it's too small for what I saw and I didn't see any pale parts at all.

SmartinMartin · 21-01-2021 11:35am

Are you sure? A buzzard is a BIG bird. Wingspan of up to 55 inches for an adult male.

arccosh · 21-01-2021 11:40am

where about in the country are you?

As mentioned, most likely a buzzard, only other common (if you could call it common) raptor of larger size is the Red Kite.... you would know that by the distinctive V in the tail ....

There are less common raptors of similar size, but would depend were you are in the country...

On a side note.... anyone know of a good website, or book with various raptor pictures? Any concise book or site I see usually only has illustrations.

21-01-2021 11:45am

I think you might well have seen an eagle, most likely a White Tailed Eagle, they would be seen around your area occasionally. Eagles are the only raptors of the scale of swans we have in Ireland. A Buzzard is not really that large, bigger than a Grey Crow, but not enormously so, and very much smaller than what you describe.

lucalux · 21-01-2021 11:47am

Sounds like a buzzard to me too fwiw. They often get mobbed by crows/rooks.

arccosh wrote: »

On a side note.... anyone know of a good website, or book with various raptor pictures? Any concise book or site I see usually only has illustrations.

I'm really bad at linking photos here, but the way I usually ID is by silhouette. Google raptor ID and go to image results and there are a lot of charts/photos there.

I hope this one attaches.. photos instead of sketches.

lucalux · 21-01-2021 11:51am

Couple of pics of corvids versus buzzards for scale if it helps.

White tailed eagle also a possibility. They do cover huge ranges and have been spotted well inland, and not always recorded

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 11:52am

SmartinMartin wrote: »

Are you sure? A buzzard is a BIG bird. Wingspan of up to 55 inches for an adult male.

I'd be fairly sure the bird I saw was at least 2m if not more in wingspan. It also had a reasonably long body and tail.

arccosh wrote: »

where about in the country are you?

As mentioned, most likely a buzzard, only other common (if you could call it common) raptor of larger size is the Red Kite.... you would know that by the distinctive V in the tail ....

I'm in Mayo, which is the main reason I had ruled out an eagle. I've since had a look at a list of bird sightings on irishbirding.com and there are some eagle sightings listed in Galway so maybe it is possible? Although I don't know how verified those sightings are.

Deleted User wrote: »

I think you might well have seen an eagle, most likely a White Tailed Eagle, they would be seen around your area occasionally. Eagles are the only raptors of the scale of swans we have in Ireland. A Buzzard is not really that large, bigger than a Grey Crow, but not enormously so, and very much smaller than what you describe.

That is what I thought in terms of the size. Crows were among the birds chasing it and it looked like a giant next to them.

lucalux · 21-01-2021 11:56am

waterfaerie wrote: »

I'd be fairly sure the bird I saw was at least 2m if not more in wingspan. It also had a reasonably long body and tail.

I'm in Mayo, which is the main reason I had ruled out an eagle. I've since had a look at a list of bird sightings on irishbirding.com and there are some eagle sightings listed in Galway so maybe it is possible? Although I don't know how verified those sightings are.

That is what I thought in terms of the size. Crows were among the birds chasing it and it looked like a giant next to them.

If you're sure its around the 2m mark then you're right it rules out buzzards.

White tailed sea eagle can be seen in unlikely spots. Often found well inland which the name would not suggest!

Good luck birding, hope the mystery gets solved for sure next time you spot it hopefully

Mickeroo · 21-01-2021 12:00pm

waterfaerie wrote: »

I'd be fairly sure the bird I saw was at least 2m if not more in wingspan. It also had a reasonably long body and tail.

I'm in Mayo, which is the main reason I had ruled out an eagle. I've since had a look at a list of bird sightings on irishbirding.com and there are some eagle sightings listed in Galway so maybe it is possible? Although I don't know how verified those sightings are.

That is what I thought in terms of the size. Crows were among the birds chasing it and it looked like a giant next to them.

I sighted a golden eagle near mulranny/achill a good few years ago, it was tagged so they were able to confirm it. I reported it on goldeneagle.ie, not sure if that site is functional anymore though.

For what it's worth I've never seen a buzzard in mayo.

lucalux · 21-01-2021 12:05pm

Mickeroo wrote: »

I sighted a golden eagle near mulranny/achill a good few years ago, it was tagged so they were able to confirm it. I reported it on goldeneagle.ie, not sure if that site is functional anymore though.

For what it's worth I've never seen a buzzard in mayo.

They're not recorded often, but I often think low population density is half the problem with citizen science like this!
http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=BasicBirdSightingSearch

OP from the colouring it seems more likely to be a golden eagle, if you noticed the dark colour, but no white tail.
Spotted in Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon in the past few months on irishbirding

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 12:06pm

lucalux wrote: »

If you're sure its around the 2m mark then you're right it rules out buzzards.

Yes, I'm certain it was around that, larger than the whooper swans. To be honest, I've never seen a larger bird in flight apart from albatross in New Zealand. It was so big that as soon as I saw it in the distance on the horizon, I knew it was something interesting before it even got close.

lucalux wrote: »

Good luck birding, hope the mystery gets solved for sure next time you spot it hopefully

Yes, well I'd love to solve it! If it was actually rare, I doubt I'll see it again. Unless they tend to hang around in a spot for a while? We've been keeping watch all morning since in faint hope but there's no sign of anything.

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 12:20pm

Mickeroo wrote: »

I sighted a golden eagle near mulranny/achill a good few years ago, it was tagged so they were able to confirm it. I reported it on goldeneagle.ie, not sure if that site is functional anymore though.

For what it's worth I've never seen a buzzard in mayo.

Thanks for that link, goldeneagle.ie. The sightings don't seem to be up to date but there are plenty of verified eagle sightings listed in this part of the country back when the website seems to have been active. There's some great information about the birds on there as well.

It gives some contact details so I might email to see if they can help or confirm what I saw. I don't know if the contact details are still valid but it's worth a try.

lucalux · 21-01-2021 12:29pm

waterfaerie wrote: »

Yes, I'm certain it was around that, larger than the whooper swans. To be honest, I've never seen a larger bird in flight apart from albatross in New Zealand. It was so big that as soon as I saw it in the distance on the horizon, I knew it was something interesting before it even got close.

Yes, well I'd love to solve it! If it was actually rare, I doubt I'll see it again. Unless they tend to hang around in a spot for a while? We've been keeping watch all morning since in faint hope but there's no sign of anything.

Great that you spotted it at all I think, and now you'll be set up and ready to see similar again.
I wouldn't bank on them coming back the same way, but you never know.

Trying to see if there's any activity on the raptor groups online but like goldeneagle.ie, a lot of dead websites
If you're on twitter there is the Irish Raptor Study Group, they are great for questions

Edited to add, here's a video of a Golden Eagle being mobbed by ravens, if it's any help for similarities, Filmed in Switzerland
https://www.newsflare.com/video/351139/golden-eagle-attacked-by-ravens

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 12:35pm

lucalux wrote: »

Trying to see if there's any activity on the raptor groups online but like goldeneagle.ie, a lot of dead websites
If you're on twitter there is the Irish Raptor Study Group, they are great for questions

Thanks a million. I'm not on twitter but I just googled Irish Raptor Study Group now and found their website. There's not much on it but I did look at the contact page and the main contact is the same guy from goldeneagle.ie. It seems like he'd definitely be the one to try.

21-01-2021 12:38pm

I believe a White tailed Eagle was nesting around one of the western great lakes in the past year or two. Or attempting to. Golden eagles have really struggled in Ireland. Habitats just not able to support them without assistance it seems at the moment.

Mickeroo · 21-01-2021 12:49pm

lucalux wrote: »

They're not recorded often, but I often think low population density is half the problem with citizen science like this!
http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=BasicBirdSightingSearch

Interesting, I know they're a lot more common in the east than over here but I will have to keep my eyes peeled

lucalux · 21-01-2021 12:57pm

Mickeroo wrote: »

Interesting, I know they're a lot more common in the east than over here but I will have to keep my eyes peeled

In the last five years (in my experience) they've moved well west across the country, becoming a lot more common.
Often seen along motorways now, where a lot of people would notice them first.

There are serious problems still, with them being shot and poisoned, unfortunately.
Still, attitudes are changing. Can't be too pessimistic eh?:)

lucalux · 21-01-2021 12:59pm

waterfaerie wrote: »

Thanks a million. I'm not on twitter but I just googled Irish Raptor Study Group now and found their website. There's not much on it but I did look at the contact page and the main contact is the same guy from goldeneagle.ie. It seems like he'd definitely be the one to try.

Great that you found the contact details, I could have posted them for you sorry!
(don't use twitter for much myself, besides nice nature news)

Let us know how you get on if you can.
I hope they can offer a bit of info regarding any tagged birds they know of in your area, and if not, I am sure they'll be grateful for any new sightings:)

waterfaerie · 21-01-2021 1:05pm

lucalux wrote: »

Great that you found the contact details, I could have posted them for you sorry!
(don't use twitter for much myself, besides nice nature news)

Let us know how you get on if you can.
I hope they can offer a bit of info regarding any tagged birds they know of in your area, and if not, I am sure they'll be grateful for any new sightings:)

Thanks so much.

I emailed him there and he replied fairly quickly. I wasn't expecting such a quick answer. I wonder if he's reading this!

Anyway to quote his email, "There is a White-tailed Eagle in that area at present" and he suspects that is what I saw. How amazing!

lucalux · 21-01-2021 1:16pm

waterfaerie wrote: »

Thanks so much.

I emailed him there and he replied fairly quickly. I wasn't expecting such a quick answer. I wonder if he's reading this!

Anyway to quote his email, "There is a White-tailed Eagle in that area at present" and he suspects that is what I saw. How amazing!

Ah that's brilliant on a lot of levels! Fair play to him for getting back so quickly indeed.

What a result, well done you for spotting it and for letting us, and them know

Any binoculars in the house?! Keep em ready ha

Help identify a raptor sighting?

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