ID... Buzzard or Marsh harrier? (crap shot warning!)

[Janice]

Can anyone decide if this this is a buzzard or a marsh harrier please?

Taken this morning over the Forest of Dean, near Wales, gave the usual cat-like mew as it flew. This is from the underside.


Sorry its a crap shot, 300mm at 1/90" LOL

no time to fiddle..."its a buzzard " click click click!

But now Im not so sure! :shrug:

 

[IanC_UK]

not a hen harrier Janice, may be marsh harrier though! Is tricky to say from the angle though !

 

[Janice]

Is it likely to be a marsh harrier over a coniferous forest and heathland??

 

[IanC_UK]

Its possibly a hen, this is from the hawk conservancy site

All these fluid definitions

 

[Janice]

does this help with the underside markings? looks buzzardy to me with the dark ends then the white section!!

Was flying very high up.

 

[madmitch]

I'm pretty sure it's a marsh harrier Janice i took some pics of one yesterday will post some in a while but like yours it was a long way off.

 

[IanC_UK]

Marsh Harrier from Minsmere, but the wrong angle to be any real use !

 

[MattEg]

I'd say it was a buzzard due to its body size.
And the white area under its wings.
It also doesn't seem to have a whiteish face.

Only guessing though.

 

[Janice]

I'd say it was a buzzard due to its body size.
And the white area under its wings.
It also doesn't seem to have a whiteish face.

Only guessing though.

I think im tending towards buzzard... dont harriers fly lower? this was enormously high up...hence the crappy shot!

 

[IanC_UK]

one of the reasons i went for buzzard early on Janice, its the tail not being fanned out thats confusing me, dont remember ever seeing abuzzard with its tail folded while soaring !

 

[madmitch]

one of the reasons i went for buzzard early on Janice, its the tail not being fanned out thats confusing me, dont remember ever seeing abuzzard with its tail folded while soaring !

I agree with that ian.

 

[Janice]

I agree with that ian.

now youve confused me.........youve gone with Ian as to it being a buzzard or a marsh harrier??

 

[madmitch]

The fanned tail bit, Buzzards tails are normally fanned when soaring.:razz:

 

[Janice]

Perhaps he was 'tired and shagged out after a long squawk'!!!


Well Im going for a Marsh Buzzard then!!

 

[madmitch]

:bang: :bang: :bang:

 

[Cobra]

Certainly looks like a juvinile buzzard from here, Janice
The "mewing" gives it away. The tail is the rudder, and is not always fanned when soaring.

The others sound totally different, listen below
Marsh Harrier
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/marshharrier/

Hen harrier
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/h/henharrier/index.asp

 

[madmitch]

Have looked at second pic with glasses on and what i originally thought was scratches on censor is white under wings it's a buzzard.:embarrassed:

 

[Janice]

Have looked at second pic with glasses on and what i originally thought was scratches on censor is white under wings it's a buzzard.:embarrassed:

I think I did mention earlier about the white section under the wings....but hey, what do I know, I'm only a woman!!! :rules: