Hi guys,
I fleetingly saw this raptor and would love some assistance with an ID. I was near the flat lands near the Nepean River in western Sydney. It is being harried by Bell Miners (the small birds in the photos). My first instinct was Little eagle then Swamp harrier. The photos are very ordinary - it was a long way off but I thought someone familiar to seeing this species might pick it from the jizz...
Thanks!
I would guess harrier Ann, it seems to have the disc like face and gliding down low. But it is only a guess.
99% sure of Harrier, but no chance of saying if Spotted or Swamp.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Thanks!
Wasn't Square-tailed Kites seen recently in Sydney? The pale face looks like that of a ST Kite as it extends to the base of the bill, followed by a black tip. Also, you can see clear barring on the wings in the cropped photo. No barring on the wings of Little Eagle or the harriers.
Square-tailed Kite
Brandon (aka ihewman)
I would agree with ihewman as when I initially saw the face I thought square tailed Kite but didn't want to speak up as there were 2 people saying harrier, but I have to say it matches with STK and they have been seen all around sydney the past few months.
Cheers Babybirdwatcher
Thanks for the feedback. I have looked at lots of images for both species now and just wish I got a better pic or had binos with me. I have fiddled with the cropped shot with photo editing software and the barring on the wings is quite distinct. I will be working a bit down around there so, fingers crossed, will see it again.
+1 for Baby Birdwatcher's comments. I mixed the two up before on an ID thread and wasn't game to comment.
Where exactly on the Nepean River was it? There are some spots where Square Tailed Kites are spotted (comparatively) often.
Hi Lachlan,
It was a few kms north of Penrith on the way to Cranebrook. If you know the area it was near "Penrith Lakes".
Anne
One of the best ways to tell Kites/Harriers apart at distance in flight is primary feather "finger" count, Harriers have 5, Kites have 6. It is not clear in these pics but looks more like 5 to me so I will go Harrier. I live just South of Wollongong and have been lucky enough to have a young Square tailed kite cruise by my place on a regular basis for the last few months, although I havn't seen him for a week or so now..
Be great if you could get some more pics if you see it again to be sure : )
Definitely square-tailed kite in my book. I saw the zoomed in image and it was my very first thought :)
Birding Blog: Close Encounters of the Bird Kind
That is an adult Square-tailed Kite for sure. The pale head is the dead giveaway.