What's that bird?

Oooh what a teaser. Could be a Merlin, I don't know enough but I could throw in a guess and say about Gyr Falcons because they hunt things like Ptarmaigan (spelling is wrong I know) and Capercallie which can be seen up Scotland way. *searches through texts frantically*

Gyr falcon seems to big though for it actually, and too pale, darn it. It flies more falcony though.

Compared to the Golden Eagle, The smaller bird seems to me to be far to big for a Merlin. I agree it is very falcon like (and Fast!)- my best guess would be large (female?) Peregrine.

I have spent some time earlier in the year volunteering with South East RSPB Date With Nature Team at a Peregrine nest site near my home in West Sussex. During this time I have seen Peregrines attacking Large Buzzards and Gulls in a similar manner.

Hobbies are out to late and not enough food... Merlin's are too wimpish, so a Peregine is most likely.

Could be a gyr falcon but I would say a female peregrine.

I go with peregrine, I saw one in Mull this summer.

I would go with peregrine - we had a peregrine chasing off Frisa, our female sea eagle at Loch Frisa - merlin I would say smaller! my money is on peregrine

i would say its a Peregrine Falcon



can you say hi to pete and jo collins who will be adding twin boys to the famliy tomorrow

Has to be a Peregrine

My thought is a peregrine difficult to ascertain size whether male or female depends on sex of eagle. if male eagle then male peregrine and vice versa with females

Looks like a late Hobby.

certainly looks like a perrigrine from the way it's stooping

I agree with others. Looks too big to be Hobby Merlin etc. Could be perrigrine. Tail to wing ratios may be out sue to the angle if the bird to the camera.

Surely a male Peregrine. The smaller size, relatively short tail, the season and habitat would suggest a Peregrine.

It's a Peregrine Falcon. The bird was far too large to be a Merlin, Hobby or Kestrel even with that camera angle.

It's a Hobby the team told us as I informed them as I was there when It was being filmed.

Why have all you so called experts(one never having seen a hen harrier before)not even considered this bird to be a young peregrine.

I think it is a peregrine

Definitely either a hobby or a peregrine. Most likley a Peregrine.

i would say its a peregrine falcon as they are fast birds in the sky, one flew past my garden about a while a go after a pigeon it missed it, had a nice view of the bird but never got a camera ready when you need it,

Well its definately a falcon, which looks to be about just over a quarter of the size of the Golden Eagle. Since the Golden Eagle has a wing span of about 1.2 m, the falcon's wing span is about 0.65 m which makes it too small to be Peregrine and most likely Hobby too. So i would say it is a Merlin

I recon that the mystery bird is a Merlin but im no expert.

Size calculation (previously posted by me at Birdforum):



Freezing the video and measuring the wingspan gives about 27mm for the eagle and 8mm for the falcon. Assuming a Golden Eagle wingspan of 210 cm (Collins gives a range of 190-225cm), that works out as 62cm wingspan for the falcon (Range 56-67cm).

Range given for Merlin in Collins is 55-69cm (Peregrine 89-113cm, Hobby 70-84cm, Kestrel 68-78cm). So I think it looks good for Merlin on the basis of size.



Obviously there's going to be a certain amount of uncertainty in this method of size estimation, but it does seem too small for Peregrine. Considering the location / time of year, I'd have thought Hobby was pretty unlikely.

Female Peregrine,I think,show Chris Sperring hes good with BOPrey..very good

https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1971157



Put this up for discussion on Bird Forum.



Very much doubt this is a Hobby! My personal choice is female Merlin.



But check the above thread for "live" developments...



All the best!

I thought Merlin by size and date although it did look rather narrow winged. Wonder if this could be due to flying in a strong wind. Date and location strange for Hobby or Red Foot and looker rather too small for Peregrine or similar shaped vagrant Eleonoras Falcon. Definitely too small for a Gyrfalcon which is a massive powerful bird.

I have just seen a Nutcracker. It took me a while to idenify as it wasnt on the RSPB site. Is this an unusual bird for Norfolk.

The last hobby I've seen in Bedfordshire this year was 26th September.

Your clip definitely looks like a hobby, most interesting.

After watching the Golden Eagle/? fly past, we think after discussion the other bird is a Peregrine.

"I have just seen a Nutcracker. It took me a while to idenify as it wasnt on the RSPB site. Is this an unusual bird for Norfolk."



Hi Jenny,



Nutcracker is a very rare visitor to anywhere in the UK!



Any more details on where you saw it? Any photos?



Would be a good idea to contact your County Bird Recorder ASAP.[Personal details removed by Moderator]





Regards.

It seems the Mobber is a Common Kestrel...



https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=185042&page=2

Hi-



looking at the scale of the two birds wingspans we seem to be in kestrel or merlin territory. I have ruled out Peregrine on shape- the bird isnt 'hippy' enough IMHO. Merlins often attack (any) large raptor with vigour but this appears to be a passing swipe. The shape of the wings says kestrel to me, the length and proportions arent compact enough for Merlin although I admit the tail tip looks a little square for Kestrel ( it could be foreshortening ). After playing pause and shunt with the clip I'm voting Kestrel



:)



S