Booted Eagle on Guernsey

[Brian S]

Pics of Booted Eagle on Guernsey on stop press http://surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/display.cgi?gallery=gallery9

Is it me or does it look a little odd? E.g., pale base to the primaries, strange dark carpal mark on underwing. Perhaps a sign of immaturity?

Any comments?

Brian S

[Colin Key]

I really don't think there will be much progress on this I.D. without better photos. I would net even begin to comment on the perched shot, but for me it is the tail that looks wrong in the flight shots.

However, given the number of Booted Eagles now on the move, anything is possible.

Colin

[Harry Hussey]

Hi all,
It actually looks more reminiscent of either a pale Common Buzzard (presumably a juv if that species, based on structure) or a pale morph (European) Honey-buzzard: I would have expected more black on the primaries and secondaries on a pale morph Booted Eagle, not to mention the black carpal patches being better for the first two species.
I wouldn't like to progress further based solely on the images obtained, and would be loath even to completely exclude Booted Eagle based on them, though it does seem as though there may have been a case of mistaken identity here...?
Regards,
Harry

[skyflyte]

The perched bird looks as though it could be a Booted Eagle, but it is hard to say much more due to the fuzziness of the images. However, the flight shots are more problematic and certainly the bird in the lower of the two images looks like a pale phase Common Buzzard both on visible plumage details and shape.

[jamesg]

Looks very much like a pale phase juv Honey Buzzard to me... What features are being touted as pro Booted Eagle? I thought juvs were sposed to be very similar to adults?

[jamesg]

A couple of examples of pale juv Honey Buzz:

http://www.pbase.com/image/85871757

http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures/birds_user_uploads/13586_UU_419_Hvepsevaage1KSmaa_7575.jpg

In the perched shot it perhaps looks a bit long in the gape and big in the head (more like Common Buzz), but it has that characteristic dark masked look of juv Honey. Plumage and structure in the flight shots look most like Honey to me.

[john c]

Just adding my fourpenneth. Having seen hundreds of Booted Eagle in recent years I too cannot see the flight photos as being this species for all the reasons already outlined. I'd agree that the shots of the perched bird look more convincing, but the photographer is insistent that the two birds are one the same.

My first reaction was that it was a pale Common Buzzard, but I think James makes a strong case for it being a pale Honey (esp in the context of the perched bird definitely being the same individual). I suspect, however, that photos of this quality won't allow confidence as to the bird's identity (other than it's not a Booted),

John

[jamesg]

Looks like Andrea also thought Honey Buzzard (but he posted on another thread):
http://www.surfbirds.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8823&postcount=8

[macrourus]

Sorry, indeed I posted it in the wrong place...

it is without ANY doubt a pale morph juv. Pernis apivorus, Honey Buzzard !!

No probelm at all :-)

Ciao

Andrea