# How lucky was I?



## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Here's a still taken from my dashcam as we were travelling south to Edinburgh.

Coming through a stand of trees on both sides, suddenly this rather large bird flew low from one side to the other with a rather large rabbit in its claws. 

Just a split second earlier and a couple of feet higher and we'd have hit it.

What a magnificent sight! (Still feel sorry for the rabbit though!)

Can anyone identify the bird? There's virtually no colour in the photo but the split-second image in my head is owly colours - I only really saw the underside: tawny-greyish, with something akin to circles on the underside of the wing on the outer half.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I looked at the picture first and thought it was a joke, as it does look a little like a person upside down with a scarf and a back pack.

Excellent shot though.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

What an amazing site Jean, and well captured.

Possibly a Red Kite ?

Terry


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

dghr272 said:


> What an amazing site Jean, and well captured.
> 
> Possibly a Red Kite ?
> 
> Terry


Certainly the right colouring Terry, but I seemed to think it was more like circles or large spots on the underside of the wings. But it was so fleeting I'm maybe mis-remembering.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

jiwawa said:


> Certainly the right colouring Terry, but I seemed to think it was more like circles or large spots on the underside of the wings. But it was so fleeting I'm maybe mis-remembering.


Yeah, that would be a spitfire :roll:


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Now if I was a betting man my money would be on a Buzzard. They are known for preying on rabbits.:wink2:

Steve


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Chigman said:


> Now if I was a betting man my money would be on a Buzzard. They are known for preying on rabbits.:wink2:
> 
> Steve


That would be my choice, here are a couple of images that I have found;










with prey (rabbit)

and the underside (not a Spitfire though :grin2










and without.....

That last image comes from a page entitled;

Can a buzzard carry off a rabbit?

Hope that helps,

Dave


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Yeah, that would be a spitfire :roll:


That's the one Kev!!


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

Chigman said:


> Now if I was a betting man my money would be on a Buzzard. They are known for preying on rabbits.:wink2:
> 
> Steve





Penquin said:


> That would be my choice, here are a couple of images that I have found;
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, that's probably it, thanks guys.

It wasn't a small rabbit either but I'd say the bird was having some difficulty gaining height. When it first came out of the trees there was another bird just beyond it coming from the same direction. Maybe they'd had a tussle beforehand as to who should have it.

Just wish my camera had shown a bit more colour.

I noticed that as I went under a bridge the colour brightened briefly, ever so slightly - does that mean maybe the camera is pointing skywards a little?

I just got the camera for this trip and I'm delighted with that result.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Red kites are very light birds. They do take rabbits but I suspect that they pull bits off on the ground. Earth worms form a good part of their diet. Also voles etc. See RSPB web site.
We see them wheeling overhead round here and they are a wonderful sight with a call ("mewing") that makes the hair on your neck stand up! I often wonder what keeps them going as they seem to stick in a thermal for hours.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

We seem to see red kite around here quite often, but last week a crow was attacking one, and it was trying to get away, I wouldn't have thought the crow had young at this time of year though.


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## Matchlock (Jun 26, 2010)

Just had a small flock of Starlings in the garden, bit of a commotion then they flew away with 1 less, that flew away with a Sparrowhawk


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Matchlock said:


> Just had a small flock of Starlings in the garden, bit of a commotion then they flew away with 1 less, that flew away with a Sparrowhawk


That's what they do, very effectively too.:wink2:

Steve


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