# What bird is this?



## peejay

Spotted this proud beauty in a field at a nice CS near Newark yesterday. Every now and again a bird would fly close to his 'patch', but not for long as this feisty little thing would immediately take flight and dive bomb anything approaching his territory, must have young ones nearby.

Never seen one of these before.

Any ideas?...










Pete


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## CaGreg

Looks like a Lapwing to me from where I'm sitting!!

Ca


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## aldhp21

peejay said:


> Any ideas?...
> 
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> 
> 
> Pete


I think its a lapwing.


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## sallytrafic

lapwing I agree


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## Penquin

I would say a LAPWING but try the RSPB Bird Identifier - it is quick, easy and f.o.c. !

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier/

Dave


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## CliveMott

Curlew, Lapwing. One and the same (Says the Mrs)

C.


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## Penquin

Be careful Clive but you might like to check out this page diplomatically!!!!

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/curlew/index.asp

Dave


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## clodhopper2006

CliveMott said:


> Curlew, Lapwing. One and the same (Says the Mrs)
> 
> C.


Nah Curlew it aint. Lapwing it is. It's also a Peewit, a Tewit and a Green Plover but never a Curlew


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## aldhp21

CliveMott said:


> Curlew, Lapwing. One and the same (Says the Mrs)
> 
> C.


Curlew is different bird. Lapwing also called Peewit or Green Plover.


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## CaGreg

So much agreement in an MHF thread!!
Must be a record!!

Ca


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## Pusser

I think its a Road Runner 8)


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## CliveMott

OK OK Database (The Mrs) updated.

I am only the messenger.

Where is Bill Oddie anyway?
We miss him.

C.


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## CaGreg

Pusser, don't go throwing spanners into working works now! 
Maybe he is trying to tell us about an upcoming MEET MEET!!

Ca


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## clodhopper2006

Pusser said:


> I think its a Road Runner 8)


So it is :wink:


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## CaGreg

Good old MHF members, there is always another answer isn't there? I love it!!

Ca


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## peejay

I've had a look at Daves excellent bird identifier link (thanks) and I think you might be spot on, looks like a lapwing, i'm quite excieted about this, makes a change from sparrows and blackbirds  .

I sat there for ages watching this bird, everytime another bird got close he would harras them, dive bombing and making a weird screechy type noise until they were gone.

I'm quite getting to like this twitching lark.

Pete


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## clodhopper2006

In all seriousness Pete there are some amazing sights to behold. A million starlings in winter all flying in syncrony or a few thousand pink-footed geese taking of simultaneously from a loch. 
You must see this sometime.

Bob


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## Jennifer

Lapwings nest on the ground, and as you so rightly observed, it became quite stressed when other birds got to close, it is protecting its young. Nothing wrong with being interested in the birds that can be observed. If you do not already, carry your binos and a Collins pocket books on birds in your unit, it can be very interesting and much better than watching the telly!!!


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## Biglol

Lapwings are usually seen in large flocks (when not breeding) they search for grubs in ploughed fields.



Biglol


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## clodhopper2006

How would you know you're a red kite


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## Jennifer

Now that is an interesting bird, the Red Kite.


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## Biglol

Yes, but I've been watching them and they look like a good meal to me


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## Biglol

Jennifer said:


> Now that is an interesting bird, the Red Kite.


My wife and I go out of our way to see Red Kites, we were near the Brecon Beacons the other week and I said "I would love to see a Red Kite today" and my wife looked up and there one was. Great.


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## Pudsey_Bear

I have to agree, it's deffo a bird of some sort, I'm just a freak of nature.

What's this one we saw on Arran at Easter?



Kev.


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## CaGreg

Sparrow hawk or peregrine though the white head is not stacking up with those??

Ca


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## Jennifer

I think it is a young Osprey


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## Pudsey_Bear

Here's a shot of him/her about to take off I got about 10 rapid fire shot's, they might help with identification, They're the best bird of prey shots I've ever done, especially considering I was driving and he flew across in front of us, I had to stop, grab the camera and just shoot rapid fire and hope I got him before he went into the trees, but he just flew on to a branch and sat looking at me for a few seconds, then flew off, if only life had more moments like this.

I have some shot's of a wild bird taking a bath in a boat somewhere, I'll post them later maybe.

Kev.


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## zappy61

Hi Kev,
Difficult to say from the angle presented but could be a buzzard or even a sparrow hawk. What size approx was it?

Graham


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## sallytrafic

I was going to say female or juvenile sparrow hawk but I'm no birder.


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## Pudsey_Bear

Hang on til next year I'll get him going the other way, so unobliging the young birds of today. 

There's no pleasing some people :lol: :lol: :lol:

Kev.

Sorry I mean the feathered type.


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## sallytrafic

I suppose goshawk is out of the question?


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## Pudsey_Bear

Who the cracker on your avatar then Frank?

Kev :black:


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## Biglol

Without knowing the size of the bird the colouring points towards the Osprey
but I could be wrong


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## CaGreg

I am limited to irish birds in my book here and I don't have an entry for an osprey, maybe we don't have them here. 

Its juvenile whatever it is.

Ca


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## Biglol

Check out this link

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/o/osprey/index.asp#

See all three images


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## JeanLuc

I think we can rule out both Osprey and Hawk (Sparrow or Gos). The shape and markings are wrong for an Osprey and the head is too large, relative to the body, to be a Hawk. Also, both of these species have a glaring yellow eye, and the Osprey does not have the yellow cere, or fleshy patch at the base of the beak, shown in your picture.
That leaves us with three possibilities: juvenile Peregrine, female Merlin or Buzzard. In this case, size does matter. If the bird was 12 inches long OR LESS, then it might be a Merlin. The Peregrine and Buzzard are in the range 16 - 20 inches in length (Buzzard slightly larger of the two).

On balance, I favour a light-form Buzzard as the most likely identification. Your bird does not look sufficiently heavily-shouldered to be a Peregrine and it lacks the 'moustache-stripe' which is common to both juvenile (brown) and adult (grey) birds. Your bird also looks a bit too pale to be a female Merlin. The Buzzard is now the most widespread raptor in the UK so I would put my money on this.

Philip


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## delboy0127

Just for fun

Looks like the lesser spotted motahoma to me.

Take care
Delboy


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## Pusser

JeanLuc said:


> I think we can rule out both Osprey and Hawk (Sparrow or Gos). The shape and markings are wrong for an Osprey and the head is too large, relative to the body, to be a Hawk. Also, both of these species have a glaring yellow eye, and the Osprey does not have the yellow cere, or fleshy patch at the base of the beak, shown in your picture.
> That leaves us with three possibilities: juvenile Peregrine, female Merlin or Buzzard. In this case, size does matter. If the bird was 12 inches long OR LESS, then it might be a Merlin. The Peregrine and Buzzard are in the range 16 - 20 inches in length (Buzzard slightly larger of the two).
> 
> On balance, I favour a light-form Buzzard as the most likely identification. Your bird does not look sufficiently heavily-shouldered to be a Peregrine and it lacks the 'moustache-stripe' which is common to both juvenile (brown) and adult (grey) birds. Your bird also looks a bit too pale to be a female Merlin. The Buzzard is now the most widespread raptor in the UK so I would put my money on this.
> 
> Philip


That very much fits in with my thinking 8)


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## Pudsey_Bear

This is the full photo, in case the scale helps you all.

Thanks very much for your attempts at identification, I'm useless with birds (story of my life)  but I'm alright now.

Kev.


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## 96299

JeanLuc said:


> I think we can rule out both Osprey and Hawk (Sparrow or Gos). The shape and markings are wrong for an Osprey and the head is too large, relative to the body, to be a Hawk. Also, both of these species have a glaring yellow eye, and the Osprey does not have the yellow cere, or fleshy patch at the base of the beak, shown in your picture.
> That leaves us with three possibilities: juvenile Peregrine, female Merlin or Buzzard. In this case, size does matter. If the bird was 12 inches long OR LESS, then it might be a Merlin. The Peregrine and Buzzard are in the range 16 - 20 inches in length (Buzzard slightly larger of the two).
> 
> On balance, I favour a light-form Buzzard as the most likely identification. Your bird does not look sufficiently heavily-shouldered to be a Peregrine and it lacks the 'moustache-stripe' which is common to both juvenile (brown) and adult (grey) birds. Your bird also looks a bit too pale to be a female Merlin. The Buzzard is now the most widespread raptor in the UK so I would put my money on this.
> 
> Philip


I would put my money on a Juv Buzzard as well.

steve


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## Jennifer

Whatever the bird of prey is, Osprey, Peregrine, Buzzard, at least our collective brains have narrowed it down, I congratulate you on the wonderful photography - Bill Oddie would be proud.


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## CaGreg

Kev_n_Liz said:


> This is the full photo, in case the scale helps you all.
> 
> Thanks very much for your attempts at identification, I'm useless with birds (story of my life)  but I'm alright now.
> 
> Kev.


Buy a simple small book of native birds. I have had mine for over twenty years and whilst I am not even remotely a bird watcher it is great to be able to identify a species that catches your eye or your lens. We bring ours in the van all the time, adds to the enjoyment.

Ca


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## Pudsey_Bear

We're always on the lookout for wild life when in the MH, the camera is on the dash, turned on ready to go all day.

These pics were taken from about 200 yards away, there were loads of them, but most were too blurred to see any detail, that's the trouble with sport mode, you can get a lot of shots, but you lose out on detail sometimes by being a bit hasty, but you do usually get a couple of good ones, got some deer pics somewhere crossing the road 50 yards in front of us, but had the short lens on, not bad pics though, I'll post a couple later if I come across them.

Kev.


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## Biglol

A bit off topic, but does anyone have night vision binocs ??


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## Pudsey_Bear

Can't you get locked up for that.

Kev :black:


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Caught these two just as they left the nest. Been waiting for dys for them

Dave P


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## Pudsey_Bear

It's a shame they're so shy Dave, you'll have to be bit patient.

Kev.


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## 96299

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Caught these two just as they left the nest. Been waiting for dys for them
> 
> Dave P


A nice couple of Greenies Dave. All this birdy stuff is puting me in the mood for springwatch.  Roll on 8 pm.

steve


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Whats this one then Caught in the petite carmargue at Aiges Morte
last summer

Dave P


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## clodhopper2006

It's a Common Tern. get em all over the place  Cracking pic though.


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## Jennifer

It looks like it comes from the Tern family to me, but I am no expert.


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## 96299

It is a Common Tern. Was watching a few pairs today at the Lea valley country park.  

steve


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## Pudsey_Bear

This one is a bit more difficult, light was awful and it rained all the time, I've got another one somewhere on another card, but it's eluding me for now.

See if you can get it from the pic below, location was between Askrigg and Crackpot, Yorkshire Dales National Park.

There were a couple of Curlews the next morning, but they evaded my camera, sat still for the binoculars though, bugger.

Kev.


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Looks like it was a very foggy day 

Dave P


did the fridge work?


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## clodhopper2006

DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Looks like it was a very foggy day
> 
> Dave P
> 
> did the fridge work?


Nah it's obvious. It's a Snow Bunting against a snowy background


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## Pudsey_Bear

Ha Ha Bloody Ha,

OK I pressed submit instead of preview, Grr, 

The fridge worked fine, when we remembered to switch between gas and 12v, both keep the freezer very cold, the ice cream was wonderful yesterday at Newby Hall tractor fest nr Ripon.


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## clodhopper2006

Bloomin eck Kev. Took me about 5 minutes to even see a bird in your pic. There is an object in there though that just may be a Meadow Pipit. Was it about sparrow sized?


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## DTPCHEMICALS

Now you`ve added pic i think its a mouse sitting up.

Dave P


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## Pudsey_Bear

photo taken about 20 yards away, size about 8-10" at a guess, very well camo'd as you can see, or maybe not.

Kev.


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## clodhopper2006

Kev_n_Liz said:


> photo taken about 20 yards away, size about 8-10" at a guess, very well camo'd as you can see, or maybe not.
> 
> Kev.


Ah not a meadow pipit then. In that case I reckon a golden plover.

one of these

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldenplover/index.asp

Bob


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## Pudsey_Bear

Spot on Bob,

I found the other pics a few mins ago, a very well camo'd bird, 2nd is 2 Golden Plovers in flight, by heck they are fast, wish I'd got the Curlews though, BTW, I'm not a twitcher, but do like the wildlife.

I won't tax your brains by asking what the last pic is.

Kev.


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## clodhopper2006

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Spot on Bob,
> 
> I won't tax your brains by asking what the last pic is.
> 
> Kev.


couldn't resist. Red Grouse


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## Pudsey_Bear

This might tax you a bit.

Kev.


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## Pudsey_Bear

This one should be a bit easier, just looking for pics of our lasses kids, and found a few pics of this little bloke, eating his lunch, and a scary red kite.

The MH in the back of the shot is the worst MH we've had, god help the new owners, but not as bad as the oldie 4 x 4.

Kev.


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## DTPCHEMICALS

I like the big red bat

dave P


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## Jennifer

The big red bat, or to give it is proper name is redlius batterus, habitats in the dead centre of civilisations/compounds. It has very very strange eating habits and should not at any time be attempted to tame. However the earlier bird in the earlier frame, I believe to be a buzzard.


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## Pudsey_Bear

I keep finding bird pics, I'm still going through DVD's of hols pics.

What are these two then.

Kev.


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## Zebedee

The top one's a spodger. (_Colloquial_)

The bottom one is a radio controlled model. I can see the aerial sticking up from its back! 8O :lol:

Dave


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## clodhopper2006

Zeb is wrong. Your first is a spuggy.

He's right on the second one it being a remote controled juvenile herring gull I think


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## Zebedee

clodhopper2006 said:


> Zeb is wrong. Your first is a spuggy.


No he's not! 8)

They're also called "Spugs" where I was brung up. 

That one is a House Spug, but the rural ones are called "Hedge Betties". 

Don't ask - I have no idea!! 8O 

Dave


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## clodhopper2006

Zebedee said:


> clodhopper2006 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Zeb is wrong. Your first is a spuggy.
> 
> 
> 
> No he's not! 8)
> 
> They're also called "Spugs" where I was brung up.
> 
> That one is a House Spug, but the rural ones are called "Hedge Betties".
> 
> Don't ask - I have no idea!! 8O
> 
> Dave
Click to expand...

well you weren't brung up propper like I were!


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## Braesman

*Eagle owl*

This big fella sat and hooted on my roof one night in April. Probably an escapee from somebody's collection, he's fairly tame but obviously managing to survive OK in the wild, he's been seen by neighbours with a large rat in his talons.


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## clodhopper2006

It's an eagle owl

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...9PSICw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image

As you say an escapee


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## Pudsey_Bear

No guesses for my roof one then.

Kev.


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## Braesman

> No guesses for my roof one then.


I reckon it's a Swaledale!


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## Jennifer

Me I think its a black ramitrotter!!


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