[kelvin]

I saw a Stone Eagle when I was in Swizzy, whilst walking down from Pilatus. Too knackered to get the camera out tho.

[andy_e]

What the heck is a stone eagle?

[kelvin]

Dunno - I'm guessing it's a translation thing from Swiss German. Big and light brown tho.

[andy_e]

Putting Steinadler into Google translate gives golden eagle. Nice! Lots of eagle spotting going on!

[kelvin]

Putting Steinadler into Google translate gives golden eagle. Nice! Lots of eagle spotting going on!

Sweet!  Happy with that one.

[Johnny Brown]

Golden eagles aren't light brown though, not even juveniles. Several other eagles and buzzards are, maybe try a guide. Short-toed at a guess, but not sure about range.

[kelvin]

Golden eagles aren't light brown though, not even juveniles. Several other eagles and buzzards are, maybe try a guide. Short-toed at a guess, but not sure about range.

Just had a nose through the eagles found in Swizzy and having looked at the pictures Pierre has shot of them round Pilatus - this picture is the sorta shading. The golden eagle I saw in the Canadian Rockies a few years back was much darker, hence me saying light brown. I'm not a bird person at all, they fuckin' scare me and when I was told 'stone eagle', I just assumed that was a type. Learnt lots today. Including the fact that Dopey (of the seven dwarves) is named Toker in Sweden. Apt.

[SamT]

2 (presumably) buzzards soaring high over the uni area in central sheffield at the moment.

I've also recently seen a red kite float over sharrow/nether edge.

I'm used to seeing sparrowhawks and peregrines float around the city centre, but not the bigger birds.

[lagerstarfish]

ooh. interesting

I'll keep an eye out

[Johnny Brown]

I've seen buzzards drift down the porter valley to hunter's bar, but the kite is a good tick!

[willackers]

but the kite is a good tick!

Silly amount of Red Kites around Leeds, starting to see them more often over the more built up areas and not just the outskirts.

I think they were introduced to the Harewood Estate not too long ago.

[andyd]

but the kite is a good tick!

Silly amount of Red Kites around Leeds, starting to see them more often over the more built up areas and not just the outskirts.

I think they were introduced to the Harewood Estate not too long ago.

1999 in fact. Apparently 300 around here. Love it

[Fultonius]

We saw a bird of prey today near Comrie (Perthshire) which at first thought was a buzzard. It was far away, so hard to tell but it had a longer tail and seemed a bit bigger, almost eagle sized.  Well, small eagle.

Kites are common, which was our first thought but it seemed to be doing more wing flapping and gliding from one spot to another, then some hovering (with a bit of flapping). A marsh harrier seems to kind of fit the bill, but they're rare in the UK and especially rare around here. Any thoughts?

[Johnny Brown]

Hen harrier would be most likely.

[andy_e]

Aye, hennie. Actually far more rare than marsh harriers, which are recovering very well and spreading rapidly. I wish the same could be said for the hennie!

[Duma]

Kingfisher. Not noteworthy usually, though always a delight, but was pretty surprised given it was in penzance harbour. Also the Turnstones are here still in their breeding plumage and are gorgeous!

[lagerstarfish]

2 (presumably) buzzards soaring high over the uni area in central sheffield at the moment.

I've been keeping an eye out and chatting with the locals and the general opinion is that these were rock-fax beta hawks.

On closer inspection it is clear that they are a member of the vulture family which has learned to scavenge information on a large scale - similar behaviour to the european topo cuckoo, but much bigger

[psychomansam]

You sure they weren't peregrines?
http://peregrine.group.shef.ac.uk/peregrines/mobile/index.html

[SamT]

nope.. not the peregrins.. deffo rock fax beta hawks... Their incredible  eye sight  allows them to copy type with amazing inaccuracies.

[SA Chris]

Found a freshly disembowelled adult (female?) pheasant on the seacliffs on Saturday (nearly stood in it!). Likely culprit a peregrine? Or could it be a mammal? Chest was ripped open and guts everywhere, but head still on. Pretty grim.

[Johnny Brown]

Yeah, was it on it's back, feathers everwhere? Raptors tend to do a lot of plucking first, foxes don't.

[SA Chris]

On it's back, not a lot of plucking. Still had head on. Not sure everyone would enjoy the photo?

[andy_e]

Could be a dog attack from an irresponsible dog owner if not much was eaten.

[SA Chris]

Not really a dog walking route, need to mince through some gorse on a cliff edge to get there.

[Johnny Brown]

Hawks are typically fairly neat except for the feathers everywhere - but the wind might have blown them away. Entrails more likely fox. But a pheasant would be a big meal for a Peregrine anyway, so there's be stuff to scavenge.