Any Ideas What This Is?

[WeeBurd]

We thought this might be a young Hen Harrier, but not sure, so any advice would be helpful. We spotted it out of the kitchen window, and spent about 20 mins debating if it was actually a bird we could see or just a stone/fencepost! Eventually curiosity got the better of me and I stuck the wellies on, and armed with the camera I headed off out for a closer look. Sure enough, it was a birdie, and it was completely unphased by e'Burd taking pics (apologies for the quality though, as it was zoomed to the max). It must have been sitting on the fencepost for at least 30mins, and I suspected it was a youngster as it looked sort of "fluffy". As I said, any advice gratefully received...

[WeeBurd]

[northener]

Maybe a young buzzard?

[Rheghead]

I think you are right weeburd, well caught on camera

[hilary]

we think you are right looks like a hen harrier.seen an adult bird around oldhall.

[karia]

Hi Weeburd,

Got to agree with you it looks very like a juvenile Hen Harrier.

Glad it's not just me and OH who have the 'is it a bird..or just a twig' conversations....He had me spend 25 mins on holiday watching a Kingfisher.........or rock formation, in shadow, as they are sometimes known!

Good shots for such a difficult subject!

karia

[nirofo]

We thought this might be a young Hen Harrier, but not sure, so any advice would be helpful. We spotted it out of the kitchen window, and spent about 20 mins debating if it was actually a bird we could see or just a stone/fencepost! Eventually curiosity got the better of me and I stuck the wellies on, and armed with the camera I headed off out for a closer look. Sure enough, it was a birdie, and it was completely unphased by e'Burd taking pics (apologies for the quality though, as it was zoomed to the max). It must have been sitting on the fencepost for at least 30mins, and I suspected it was a youngster as it looked sort of "fluffy". As I said, any advice gratefully received...

It's a Buzzard!

nirofo.

[WeeBurd]

Thanks for all the replies. We checked it out at the time against an older illustrated book of British Birds, as there's no juvenile pics/illustrations in my bird book. Can't remember why we thought it was a Hen Harrier rather than a young Buzzard, could it have been the cheek/eye markings and the very pale belly? We have seen adult Hen Harriers in the area this year, but they're obviously quite distinct in themselves.

I've got to admit, even through the binoculars I was unsure if it was a bird or not, it was really only the camera image that was good enough to confirm. It's pure luck it caught our eye - I think it was the sun hitting it's white belly that made it stand out as something unusual.

[Jeemag_USA]

Thanks for all the replies. We checked it out at the time against an older illustrated book of British Birds, as there's no juvenile pics/illustrations in my bird book. Can't remember why we thought it was a Hen Harrier rather than a young Buzzard, could it have been the cheek/eye markings and the very pale belly? We have seen adult Hen Harriers in the area this year, but they're obviously quite distinct in themselves.

I've got to admit, even through the binoculars I was unsure if it was a bird or not, it was really only the camera image that was good enough to confirm. It's pure luck it caught our eye - I think it was the sun hitting it's white belly that made it stand out as something unusual.

I also agree, having handled several of these birds up close and personal, to me it looks like a young female Hen Harrier. Its not a Buzzard, can tell by the shape of the face and beak.

[WeeBurd]

Thanks Jeemag!

[kas]

Looks like a Buzzard to me, and now that I have seen Nirofro's confirmation then I am sure. He has worked with Raptors a long time. A young hen Harrier would have white around the eye and would have a more redish brown streaked chest.