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Wow telling them apart is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, hoping someone would mention something easy like a solitary white tail feather on one and not the other. Lol but I suppose like you say in time the knowledge will come. Thank you for the help everyone.

So... my first post, my first mistakes??

???

Wahlberg's Eagle
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/253043_4708739326132_2060917666_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/222513_4708739646140_1015079314_n.jpg


Tawny Eagle
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/36288_4708739966148_1892871782_n.jpg


Martial Eagle
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/548654_4708738286106_1958714688_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/424644_4708738526112_1383225220_n.jpg



Southern Krüger Park and surroundings, half September 2012

thank you very much

Thank you!

Hello,

These are probably really easy but I am new at this. Can someone help please ? These were all taken in Addo in June 2012. I am fairly certain this first one is a Black-shouldered kite :



The next 3 were physically 3 different birds, taken at 3 different times, but appear to be the same species. The closest I have found is possibly a juvenile Black-shouldered kite (my book says the juveniles eyes are yellow-brownish) ?







Thanks in advance,
Kelly

Got them all right Kelly

Can't believe it, lol, thanks for your help !

Kelly

Good Evening everyone.

It is my turn to be baffled! I saw this raptor in Wartburg, (+-30km East of Pietermaritzburg), last Sunday the 14th. I thought it was odd to see Martial Eagle there but not uncommon! Now that I am looking at the images though I am not so sure any more. It looks a little small and the underwing patterns don't match? Maybe Juv Black chested Snake Eagle? Any suggestions.....



Thamks.

Hi F.
Juvenile BBSE has a bit more barring on the underwing pattern if I am correct. It actually looks more like a sub-adult Martial eagle. .

I have only ever seen one of these, and that was a few years ago.
The ME takes 5-7 years to reach maturity, so there would be a transition between the white underwings of the juvenile to the dark underwings of the adult, as is apparent on the individual in Ferdelance's photo. The ME underparts remain black and white in various proportions depending upon the age of the bird. The flight feathers remain dark at all times. Have a look at this link that I found while looking at images on the web; the individual is very similar to your photo, http://simonthomsett.wildlifedirect.org ... o_pair.jpg (I hope that I am allowed to do this).
With the BCSE the juvenile is brown, thereafter the plumage changes to black and white. The flight feathers meanwhile become lighter and finally white with black barring on the secondaries, and inner primaries. While looking at other pictures on the web the white underwings seem to develop quite early while the body plumage takes some time to change to the adult colouration.
I think that the bird is a ME.

Please help me ID this chap. It was hunting perhaps and seemed very intent on 1 area, it seemed to hover motionless in the sky for 10 min. I could see its underbelly was either white or caramel colored and the back and tail darker but that is about all I could see. Seen near PTA early in the morning.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/10/24/za3e2e3u.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/10/24/qu3ynu8e.jpg

Thanks

Thank you very much Roan and Mutorashanga! Doubt does crazy things to one's imagination..... I've never seen martial in that erea as there are no reserves within 30 km of there! Very nice!

@Trentonskeeper. I'd say exactly the opposite to my bird. BBSE! The wing patterns match this time and the chest is relatively clean....

Sorry but trying to figure out what you said is like French to someone like me who is just learning about birds. Lol could you give me the idiot version of that please? Thank you.

Do you maybe mean a Black Breasted Snake Eagle, I m googling now and to my untrained eye that bird looks similar to this bird. I looked at other photos of mine and I noticed the beak was black and his wings tucked in neatly when he dropped down between hovering.

Sorry Trentonskeeper! I didn't see your post. Yes those abb. are not a good way to respond! I meant Black breasted snake eagle . Sorry!