whistling kite

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aa
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whistling kite

my catch from wellard wetlands this morning :)

stevehapp
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great light on the wings.
they almost look metallic..
top shot.

DenisWilson
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Hi AA
.
Fantastic shot.
I believe it is a Little Eagle, not a Whistler.
Have a look at my post of Little Eagle circling above my house.
http://peonyden.blogspot.com/2008/07/little-eagle-circling-on-breeze.html
This other post has an image of a Whistling Kite. It shows the bent wings (a more prominent joint, anyway), and the much longer tail than your bird shows.
http://peonyden.blogspot.com/2008/01/birds-of-prey-how-to-tell-them-apart.html
.
Your photo is sufficiently good that you can blow it up to 200% and see that there is no evidence of long bare legs.
.
Little Eagles (true Eagles) have feathers all the way down to their talons. So, I believe that's what yours is.
.
Once again - great photo - much better than anything I have ever taken.
Cheers
Denis

ed
ed's picture

Hi aa and Denis
I'm not sure, but I think I tend towards WK.
Not often I feel I can show aa a BIF but this taken today on the Townsville Towncommon is a Whistling Kite and although I say so myself, not a bad shot.
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3529/3979340953_a3f10816ce.jpg
[/img]

Ed Townsville NQ

ed
ed's picture

That's strange, I'll try again

Ed Townsville NQ

aa
aa's picture

thanks guys :)

if this is a little eagle, it would have been my first again :)

Birdgirl2009
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Wow aa I've been trying to get a shot like that for months.

Birdgirl2009
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ps I went to Bunnings today without my camera and a black-shouldered kite came and hovered about 3m above the ground about 10m from the car (he was saying ha ha you don't have your camera!)

aa
aa's picture

hehehe thanks birdgirl, i think i won't have my camera either when going to bunnings

al
al's picture

Hi aa,
I think your bird is a WK and not a LE.
When soaring, BOP quite often keep their talons very close
to their bodies.
In your photo I would say that the belly feathers of the bird
are concealing the long bare legs of the WK.
Denis, if it was a LE, would'nt the tail be barred ( as I can see in your photo ) and the leading edge of the underwing dark as opposed to a pale leading edge of a WK?
Cheers,
al

DenisWilson
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Hi AA
,
Your comments are probably right. Certainly re the barred tail, which I have never noted as diagnostic before.
.
To be honest, I mostly go on shape and outline, and angle of wings and tail (both tend to be drooping in WK). But with the angle of your bird - approaching you, and seemingly coming down fast, those factors are subject to "adjustment" by the bird.
.
I remain unconvinced (ever so slightly) re the legs, but I am happy if you are happy.
It is still an excellent photograph.
Cheers
Denis

bushanwater
bushanwater's picture

Great shot aa, thanls for posting. I suppose I had better just keep trying for something like this myself.

See Yez
Trev

aa
aa's picture

thanks dennis and al for the id, i'll attach another image from the same series of shots i took

thanks also bushanwater :)

Birdgirl2009
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aa I have been back to Bunnings twice with my camera and do you think the black-shouldered kite was there? Of course not!

aa
aa's picture

hehehe try not to bring your cam, for sure it will be there hehehe

Amateur

Great shot, have to say it's a whistling kite though. Is the camera you're using a digital SLR? I'm still stuck with a digital camera I got at Christmas. Saving up for one when I'm like 15/16.

Cheers, James

Windhover
Windhover's picture

I am pretty late chiming in but I would have said Whistling Kite. And I must admit; I do know my raptors pretty dang well!

myky50

whatever it is i want one :)

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