# Are there Eagles in Warwickshire????



## thewaltons

I keep seeing something flying low through trees in the open countryside. It has a much bigger wing span than a kestral so I know its not a kestral, but looks just like an eagle when it settles in a tree. My husband has also seen it on several occasions, so I know I'm not seeing things. What is it?


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## chrisgreen

i would think it is a red kite,or a buzzard, lots about, and great to watch.


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## Chascass

Several Red Kite's fly over where I live, some times they are only dot's, they are so high on the thermals, occasionally see them low hunting.

Charlie


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## thewaltons

Every time I see this one it is flying very low, following the road in front of the car on its way back to the nest which is probably about 30 feet off the ground close to the (country) road. I would love to stop and watch for a while but the nest is near a really awkward junction. I might go out at the weekend with Hubby for a better look and maybe take some photos, but only from a distance.


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## WingPete

*Kites*

Probably a kite, and as they are scavengers, they find food from road kill, hence they look along the roadside for dinner.


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## Zebedee

Buzzards.

As far as I know there aren't any Red Kites around here - more's the pity.

Red Kites have a very distinctly forked tail, and as someone else said they usually fly very high on thermals. Their call is unmistakable too - a single long, almost plaintive note, dropping in tone toward the end.

Buzzards don't have the fork and they wheel around whether there are thermals or not. They are frequently chased by crows, which is another clue.

Hope this helps


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## Diver

*Sparrowhawk?*

Possibly a Sparrowhawk.
Their flight action alternates rapid, clipped wing beats with long glides along the edge of cover or within cover. It soars quite frequently.
Take a look at http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=sparrowhawk&gbv=2 for pictures.


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## Spacerunner

Buzzards are known as 'Tourists Eagles' in the highlands. Along with magpies they must be amongst the most successful of bird species. I've noticed they are even breeding here in East Hampshire, whereas at one time we could only see them in Wales at the nearest. They are unmistakably big and have white markings on the underside of their wings and often hunt in pairs. Wing movement is slow and powerful, but theydo spend a lot of time soaring on thermals. Kestrels tend to hover a lot, Kites are scavengers so could possibly be searching the roads looking for road kill.


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## chrisgreen

i would be surprised if it was a sparrowhawk as they are about the same size as a kestrel, and difficult to tell apart when in full flight.
redkites do as said glide on themals,but when looking for food will fly along roads looking for roadkill.


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## 96299

I`d deffo go with Buzzards.A much broader bird than a Kite, and a Sparrowhawk is to small,not being much bigger than a Kestrel.

steve


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## cronkle

Zebedee said:


> Buzzards.
> 
> As far as I know there aren't any Red Kites around here - more's the pity.
> 
> Red Kites have a very distinctly forked tail, and as someone else said they usually fly very high on thermals. Their call is unmistakable too - a single long, almost plaintive note, dropping in tone toward the end.
> 
> Buzzards don't have the fork and they wheel around whether there are thermals or not. They are frequently chased by crows, which is another clue.
> 
> Hope this helps


Agreed, probably buzzards. Red kites were initially released back into the wild around the High Wycombe area some years back. It may be that they have spread your way


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## JeanLuc

I would put 99% probability on it being a Buzzard. I live just in Warwickshire near the Oxford border and have seen a Red Kite only once over the village. They are however, very common towards Thame and Stokenchurch where they were released some years back. You will see them over the M40 and the rooftops of said towns on any day. They have not really spread as far as Warwickshire yet in any numbers.
Buzzards by contrast have spread very successfully in the last 25 years from the West Country. They are now very common around here.
Have a look at this link to the RSPB Bird Guide.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/buzzard/index.asp


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## Spacerunner

A faint possibility is that it may be a European Eagle Owl! Quite a few of these are/were kept in private collections, they are quite good at escaping. They are about the size of a buzzard and flight shape, apart from the head, is similar. They habitually haunt the same areas and will sit for long periods searching for prey, and they fly low too. It has been said that they will take small dogs. Watch out Trudie!!


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## clodhopper2006

I was going to suggest marsh harrier or short-eared owl (which is not nocturnal) but if as you say you have seen its nest and it is in a tree then both of those are ruled out as they are ground nesting.
Osprey is a possibility but it's early if it is. 
My money is on either buzzard or red kite. Look at how it flies. The buzzard has its wings held in a shallow v shape while the red kite is flat. Also the red kite has a markedly forked tail.
Be careful about aproaching the nest as you may be breaking the law if you disturb it.

Bob


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## 108921

Charlie said about thermals. I guess it depends whether they were worn outside or inside the leggings as to what it could be flying through the trees .......


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## bognormike

JeanLuc said:


> I would put 99% probability on it being a Buzzard. I live just in Warwickshire near the Oxford border and have seen a Red Kite only once over the village. They are however, very common towards Thame and Stokenchurch where they were released some years back. You will see them over the M40 and the rooftops of said towns on any day. They have not really spread as far as Warwickshire yet in any numbers.
> Buzzards by contrast have spread very successfully in the last 25 years from the West Country. They are now very common around here.
> Have a look at this link to the RSPB Bird Guide.
> http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/buzzard/index.asp


the kites are spreading fast! Our daughter lived in Thame and now is in Haddenham, and they are very common there; our son lives in Didcot & they have them around there now - may have gone north, but Buzzards are the best bet.


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## spykal

Indentify <<

and Here <<


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## chrisgreen

intresting stuff about red kites?

http://www.redkites.co.uk/


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## clodhopper2006

It springs to mind that another contender may be a goshawk but only if it's not a buzzard, which it probably is


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## thewaltons

Well, thanks everyone for the info. I certainly wouldn't go anywhere near the nest but I've informed my other half that he won't be getting his weekend lay-in and instead we are leaving home at 6.30 am as usual with the camera :lol: If I manage to get any good piccies I'll put them on here.


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## Biglol

Checkout this link for all you ever wanted to know about Red Kites

http://www.gigrin.co.uk/

There are as many Buzzards as there are sparrows where I live, I saw ten above our house one day last summer.


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