Golden Eagles in the Midlands

amanda p · #1 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 09:49 AM

I was in the car with my husband yesterday and saw what I was sure was a golden eagle on the outskirts of Northampton. The bird was just landing in the bushes and trees of a large roundabout, it was very large, brown in colour and its face and beak looked like pictures of golden eagles I have seen. I came home and looked up more pictures and am even more convinced now that this was a golden eagle. How common are they in the Midlands? My husband was driving so saw the bird but not as closely as I did, and thinks I may have been mistaken, but I remain sure of what I saw!

Dave66 · #2 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 10:20 AM

Hi Amanda

I'm not from the midlands but we have a saying in Scotland "If you think you saw an eagle then you didn't" In other words when you do see one you know for sure, remember an eagle is huge with a wingspan of 6 feet accross. Now I'm not saying you didn't see one but i can't help thinking it may have been a buzzard.[/u]
cheers

Dave.

Adam Cheeseman · #3 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 10:21 AM

More likely to be a Common Buzzard. There is only one Golden Eagle in England (if it still is) and that was up in the Lake District.

Cheers,

Adam

Jason Green · #4 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 12:08 PM

Hi Amanda, and welcome to WAB!

I agree with Dave and Adam - it'll have been a Buzzard, and most likely the Common one, Buteo buteo scientifically. They are brown with a large bill, though GEs would appear bulkier I'd have thought.

Take care,

Jason

Boddie · #5 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave66

Hi Amanda

I'm not from the midlands but we have a saying in Scotland "If you think you saw an eagle then you didn't" In other words when you do see one you know for sure, remember an eagle is huge with a wingspan of 6 feet accross. Now I'm not saying you didn't see one but i can't help thinking it may have been a buzzard.[/u]
cheers

Dave.

Then again the Scottish have monsters which make otherwise boring lochs interesting

aeshna5 · #6 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 12:56 PM

As far as i know only 1 Golden Eagle wild in England. As others have said most likely to be a Buzzard!

Dogghound · #7 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 01:46 PM

Plus if a Golden eagle was in the midlands which has quite a large human population it would be all over the birding press. I agree it was a buzzard that you have seen.

watsthat · #8 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 01:54 PM

I reckon there`s a good chance it was a Red Kite. They are cropping up all over the place now and I have seen them tracking the A1 looking for roadkill.

Pete

Picidae · #9 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Plus if a Golden eagle was in the midlands which has quite a large human population it would be all over the birding press. .

Hopefully the 'birding press' would have more sense than to post sightings of any apparently wild Golden Eagles in England other than the one we all know about. Mainstream media and members of the public might be a different matter though!

Anyway there is only one wild Golden Eagle in England and if there's not, then it shouldn't be made public but reported to the local CR confidentially.

I agree, Buzzard is the most likely candidate as David says, if you think you've seen a Golden eagle but you've never seen one before, it's probably a Buzzard!

Dave66 · #10 (**permalink**) 17-01-2010, 02:26 PM

"Then again the Scottish have monsters which make otherwise boring lochs interesting"

Are you insinuating there's no such thing as Nessie!! Unbelievable!!