Hey Twitchers what make and model bird of prey did i see earlier?

[Stat Brother]

It was a mottled light brown and white colour.
It may well have had a white head.
It was about half the size again of the pheasant it was eating in the road.
But with a massive wingspan.
What was really striking was the gold band it had across it's lower back and top of its tail.

It looked stunning as it effortlessly flew away from the road, just north of Chichester.

 

[Paskman]

Red Kite

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/r/redkite/index.aspx

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Honey buzzard

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Or more likely a Buzzard

 

[happypig]

Death Pigeon

 

[chamakh_attack]

Does anyone see a large bird of prey around the Berwick area regularly? I often see one or two on my drive along the A27 too big to be a common sparrow hawk but I never get a clear enough sight of it to describe it apart from it soars like a bird of prey and is large and mostly brown.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Marmite Vulture.......sorry I am bored,
In order of most likely
Buzzard
Honey buzzard
Red kite.

Birds of prey are common in these parts and Buzzards are quite territorial. One can be often seen perched on a fence post along the side of a main road local to me. Magnificent sight.

 

[Razzoo]

I have a large rusty coloured hen strutting about my garden, anybody got any idea of what to do. And no, I'm not going to kill it and cook it.

 

[Stat Brother]

Obviously I only saw it for a few seconds, before I needed to miss its lunch in the road.

The birds USP was the bright yellow strip across its lower back.
There's no mention of that in the red kite description.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

American Bald Eagle

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Obviously I only saw it for a few seconds, before I needed to miss its lunch in the road.

The birds USP was the bright yellow strip across its lower back.
There's no mention of that in the red kite description.

Sounds like a Buzzard to me.?.but I would struggle to tell the difference between a Buzzard and a honey buzzard.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I think it was a Sparrowhawk

 

[*Gullsworth*]

I think it was a Sparrowhawk

Good call U.S. We need someone to post pictures of these 3 birds are then put it in a poll for the NSC twitchers to decide

 

[glasfryn]

I think it was a Sparrowhawk

that was my first thought .......but they are a lot smaller than a Buzzard

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I am confident

 

[clippedgull]

Sounds to me like a 'mutant' Seagull.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

14-16 inches length and 27-32 inches wingspan

 

[*Gullsworth*]

that was my first thought .......but they are a lot smaller than a Buzzard

My thoughts too. But it may be one of the famous Chichester Cathedral Peregrine falcons. ....nah too grey and stripey

 

[Paskman]

Sounds like a Buzzard to me.?.but I would struggle to tell the difference between a Buzzard and a honey buzzard.

Honey Buzzards don't eat pheasants, they eat wasps. A Sparrowhawk is too small. There are Red Kites breeding in the area, and both they and Common Buzzards take carrion. Size wise it sounds like a Red Kite, but the colouring sounds like a juvenile Common Buzzard.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

A notch in its wedge shaped tail would also confirm it as a Red Kite. Otherwise I would suggest that you saw a Buzzard.

You did well to avoid it as the larger raptors struggle to get airborne quickly from ground level and could make a right mess of any innocent cyclists.....a horrible cocktail(!) of lycra and feathers, yuk! At least they are bit more predictable than pheasants or hares which are a nightmare to avoid.

Have to watch out for Marsh Harriers in these parts as they specialise in flying at low level, and at perfect head height for cyclists.....they are a magnificent sight at close quarters - but you do feel as if you are being stalked...