Bird identification

[shivvy]

I saw a bird flying over fields this evening (approx 4.30/5pm) and would love to know what it was.

It was huge, with what seemed like a massive wingspan. It seemed to fly out of one tree and glide its way over the hedges and maybe into another tree.
It looked as if it was all brown in colour with a white/cream band approx two-thirds of the way down its wing.
I looked on the rspb site but didnt have much joy. I live in the country surrounded by farmland, mature trees etc.

I find it sooo exciting when I spot a new bird so I'm really excited to find out what it is!

[sn�gs]

Red Kite?

[Eve]

Maybe a buzzard?

[Eve]

http://www.southpenquite.co.uk/buzzard.jpg

[ibannister]

Hi Shivvy
My main difficulty is understanding what you mean by being "Huge". The bird you describe could be a Great Skua but it is highly unlikely that one would be in your area.(Seabird)
Posibillities (with the white stripe) are Wood Pigeon or Jay.
Jays are quite big and fly much like a Magpie.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Banny

[ibannister]

BTW Herons look huge when flying.

[shivvy]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I thought it might have been some type of owl but when I looked them up they are all quite small. This bird was maybe 1.5metres from wing tip to wing tip. (Sorry Banny - saying 'huge' and 'massive' wasn't entirely accurate was it?!) But it def wasn't a jay or wood pigeon.
Not a heron either - I am familiar with seeing herons but this bird was much heavier than that.

I also thought of a buzzard but the white band on the wing that I saw doesn't look the same as the photos of a buzzard who look as if they have white under the length of their wing?
Red kite - I wish it was though it is really unlikely as I am in Northern Ireland and we have just recently had red kite reintroduced in small areas of NI. Unfortunately I don't live in one of those areas.
Any other ideas?

[shivvy]

Banny - re your suggestion of Great Skua, I had a look at them on the rspb website and it wasn't that either. The white marking on the bird I saw looked as if it went around its wing - like an armband - if that makes sense?

I was so shocked at the size of it that I didn't pay enough attention to other things like the shape of its tale etc which would prob help with an identification - I'm kicking myself now!

[Kelvin]

Possibly a European Eagle Owl, they've established themselves in some remote parts of England!

[shivvy]

I've had a look at the European Eagle Owl Kelvin but it is quite speckled, doesn't have the band on the wing, and isn't known to be in NI.
My search continues!

[burnhal]

try the male Marsh Harrier- gliding flight, wings held in a shallow V and the white wing bands http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/images/MarshHarr ier1982adj.jpg

[shivvy]

The male Marsh Harrier looks too light in colour burnhal. The white bands that I saw were much narrower.
Unfortunately I dont think the Marsh Harrier is found in NI either?

I am beginning to doubt what I saw because folks on answerbank are usually great at identification. I am sure about the size, but maybe it looked all brown if the light was behind it? I could swear about the narrow band on the wing though.

[pbeach]

Whereabouts in the country are you?
Chilterns, Yorkshire, Wales? If so very likely to be a Red Kite
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name /r/redkite/index.asp

[shivvy]

Thanks pbeach but as I mentioned a few times I am in Northern Ireland. That pretty much rules out the red kite which snags had originally suggested.
I have spoken to my father, who knows a lot about birds, and with his knowledge of my area he has advised that it was most probably a buzzard.
Boy but they are big birds!

[pbeach]

Ahh - sorry missed that - if you click on the link you will get the other two most likely options - Buzzard and Marsh Harrier (similar birds)

[shivvy]

Thanks again pbeach but burnhal already suggested Marsh Harrier but I don't believe they are in NI.

[pbeach]

Then you are left with the only other bird - as also suggested. A buzzard.

[padanarm]

As suggested by the other posters, chances are it was the eurasian buzzard,especially given the countryside you describe. Buzzards are medium size, wingspan 1.2m. They vary widely in colour.

There's an outside chance of seeing a sea eagle near the coast in northern ireland. They're usually youngsters from Mull or nearby. Now sea eagles ARE huge, wingspan 2.5m. Here's a nice pic from mullbirds.com showing a juvenile sea eagle next to a buzzard.

[shivvy]

Great picture padanarm!
I'm pretty sure it must have been a buzzard.

I like feeding birds and attracting them into my garden but when the largest is usually a wood pigeon (apart from a couple of strutting pheasants), the site of something as big as a buzzard flying over my head was exciting - and a bit scary! I will be keeping my eyes peeled as I would love to see him again.

[raptorfrank]

dont forget the honey buzzards are frequent in your are also
many are on there own or in pairs as are native buzzards are, it also may have been a juvinile and wont get its adult plumage till next molt, fantastic to watch and most buzzards soar on the thermals and round and round kites have a v in the tail end and have been seen urend but not alot

[shivvy]

Thanks raptorfrank but I don't think we get honey buzzards in Northern Ireland.