Raptor ID please

[colincurry]

I took these snaps near Aldreth in Cambridgeshire.

No apologies for the standard of them; two fields away, hand held in a stiff breeze. Each time I tried to get a little closer, the bird and prey moved away.

I was trying to photograph a wren when I noticed a dark bird swoop low over the adjacent fields and then land in a field across the track. From my slightly elevated position, the tops of the spread wings were mid to dark brown, even rusty.

We do get marsh harriers in the area. However, that morning, a local farmer told me that he had seen a hen harrier on the other side of the farm. I am wondering if this might be a female hen harrier?





Eventually, the bird was driven off by a crow, but it dwarfed the crow and flew lazily away (from me, unfortunately).

Colin

[Dogghound]

Common Buzzard

[solus]

Buzzard for me too. Had it been a female Hen Harrier you would have noticed the white rump patch at the base of the (upper) tail as it flew.

[wildherbalian85]

It was probably looking for worms.

[wildherbalian85]

Originally Posted by wildherbalian85

It was probably looking for worms.

Looked closer and it appears to be plucking at a bird and not eating worms.

[animartco]

Isn't it rather pale fr a buzzard? underneath it looks completely white. My first thought was hen harrier which is white underneath. Also there is a distinct grey patch at the top of the brown wing, which would even suggest a marsh harrier.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Buzzard sp. Most likely Common. It is not a Harrier.

Cheers,

Adam

[Guinnessman1974]

I agree with the consensus of a Buzzard, you will often see them in farmers fields

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by animartco

Isn't it rather pale fr a buzzard? underneath it looks completely white. My first thought was hen harrier which is white underneath. Also there is a distinct grey patch at the top of the brown wing, which would even suggest a marsh harrier.

Buzzards are extremely variable, its quite common to get pale birds like this.