SANParks.org Forums

Shikra!

Thanks so much for the ID.

I hope to be able to ID these for myself someday. I never realised that raptors could be so difficult.

Must start ticking them off now before I forget what they were again.

Raptors are not so difficult. It is getting good pictures of them that is the difficult bit. You are coming along nicely on both counts. Wait til you start on Cisticolas. Several experts can't agree on a common name for several. :think :

Saw this guy today at Stilfontein, North West. Is it an Ovambo Sparrowhawk, juvenile, pale form?

It sure looks like one to me Tilandi!

Thanks Mel. Another lifer

Have just returned from a couple of days in the Wilderness Park - what a lovely place for birding, but again, the raptors have me confused.

These falcons we saw on the wires on the gravel, back road between Wilderness and Karatara.

Looking in my book, I am tentatively saying an Amur Falcon (male and female), but there may actually be different ones. Each time we stopped the car, they would fly off, so the photos are really not good, but I am sure that I can rely on the experts who are used to IDing my blurred photos. I have given you a selection if that makes it any easier. We also saw a stunning Black Shouldered Kite on the same wires.











The buzzard in the following photos is either a Steppe Buzzard (our intial thought), but then looking at it, our second guess is a juvenile Jackal Buzzard. WE did see a stunning adult Jackal Buzzard the previous evening along the same road, hence our doubt.

The first photo is far off, the rest are taken from the back (I was not going bundu bashing) and then from the front (Buglette DID go bundu bashing).









Thanks

Well if I said it was not a Eastern Red-footed Falcon (Amur) you would be most unhappy. So well done as that is what they are. Nice famly party too. M & F.

The Buzzard is not so obvious but I would go for Jackal Buzzard due to the neater back feathers in the blow up. Juv of course as you say.

Thanks a lot Maxwell!

We are ticking them off thick and fast at the moment. On the way back near Worcester, we saw a definite Steppe and Jackal Buzzard on the poles and were happy that we recognised them!!

Need some help with the following Eagle.

It was seen over the weekend on the S28. Through the binos it had a very big posture and when we snapped some pics and looked at them, My first reaction was Steppe Eagle.

Ok, first off, the white band on the underwing, the straight wings shape, the gape that looks to be leading to the back of the eye is leading me into thinking Steppe.

The things making me think that it could maybe be a Lesser Spotted Eagle is the fact that the white band is not as broad and obvious as you would come to expect from Steppe Eagle.

What is your thoughts? Perhaps a Juv Lesser Spotted Eagle, or perhaps a Steppe Eagle going through plumage transitions from Juv to Adult?


IMG_8769 by DvdBergh, on Flickr

I think the latter of the two options. An 'adolescent' Steppe. (I think in your heart of hearts you think so too.)
My reasons FWIW.
Barring on the tail.
The more massive bill.
Small white 'flashes' the base of the primaries.
Bulkier "trousers'.
Just a hunch!

Surely your first call would be based on size. The Steppe is quite a massive bird. LS more 'dainty'.
And finally always go with your first gut reaction. It is usually correct. You just "know" what you are looking at.

You could always try zooming in on the nostils

I agree with you Maxwell.. one's gut feel is never wrong.. (only in birding though)


I completly forgot about the nostrils.. I will be cropping now, thank you.

Very true words those

But when I first looked at this pic my first thought was also Steppe Eagle and I'm sticking with it. Steppe Eagle losing the last of its juvenile plumage.

DD, I disagree with your gut...
It is a Juv. Lesser Spotted. If you put Highlights on your pic you will notice the streaking on the breast which indicates that this is a juv. bird. The pale vent and barring on the tail and secondaries are all features which indicate Juv Lesser Spotted Eagle. LSE's gape can also extent behind the eye....

Only adult Steppe has the barring on the tail and secondaries and juv. Steppe will show a white tip on the tail.

Thank you Lizet..

( )

Stop disagreeing with me!!!!