ID (Speculative unfortunately)

Mabel

Hi all

First of all I must apologise, as this ID post in entirely speculative. I saw a bird of prey on the train back to Galway today so unfortunately with no pictures all I can do is write as descriptively as I can!

Roughly halfway between Athenry and Galway City over barren land at 5 o'clock I saw a large-ish (it looked slightly bigger than a Hooded Crow) dark bird of prey flying sluggishly low over the ground. The wings formed a kind of "v" shape at the shoulders and the tail was long and slender. The flight was very lazy and the wings were slightly broad and paler at the primaries. It looked a lot slimmer overall than a Buzzard, and the length of the tail made me think of a Harrier. The rest of the plumage was dark... I didn't see the rump though.

Bear in mind I saw this for a total of about 30-40 seconds. Any ideas of what it could have been? It would be lovely if it was a Hen Harrier as it would be my second one in my life! I know there's no way of telling what it was for certain, but I'm just throwing it out there to see what the chances of that possibility are, or indeed if more knowledgeable minds or local folks know if there are even Harriers in the area. It was great to see a bird of prey in any case!

heavyballs

Mabel wrote: »

Hi all

First of all I must apologise, as this ID post in entirely speculative. I saw a bird of prey on the train back to Galway today so unfortunately with no pictures all I can do is write as descriptively as I can!

Roughly halfway between Athenry and Galway City over barren land at 5 o'clock I saw a large-ish (it looked slightly bigger than a Hooded Crow) dark bird of prey flying sluggishly low over the ground. The wings formed a kind of "v" shape at the shoulders and the tail was long and slender. The flight was very lazy and the wings were slightly broad and paler at the primaries. It looked a lot slimmer overall than a Buzzard, and the length of the tail made me think of a Harrier. The rest of the plumage was dark... I didn't see the rump though.

Bear in mind I saw this for a total of about 30-40 seconds. Any ideas of what it could have been? It would be lovely if it was a Hen Harrier as it would be my second one in my life! I know there's no way of telling what it was for certain, but I'm just throwing it out there to see what the chances of that possibility are, or indeed if more knowledgeable minds or local folks know if there are even Harriers in the area. It was great to see a bird of prey in any case!

no expert but could it possibly be an Osprey

LostCovey

Mabel wrote: »

Hi all

First of all I must apologise, as this ID post in entirely speculative. I saw a bird of prey on the train back to Galway today so unfortunately with no pictures all I can do is write as descriptively as I can!

Roughly halfway between Athenry and Galway City over barren land at 5 o'clock I saw a large-ish (it looked slightly bigger than a Hooded Crow) dark bird of prey flying sluggishly low over the ground. The wings formed a kind of "v" shape at the shoulders and the tail was long and slender. The flight was very lazy and the wings were slightly broad and paler at the primaries. It looked a lot slimmer overall than a Buzzard, and the length of the tail made me think of a Harrier. The rest of the plumage was dark... I didn't see the rump though.

Bear in mind I saw this for a total of about 30-40 seconds. Any ideas of what it could have been? It would be lovely if it was a Hen Harrier as it would be my second one in my life! I know there's no way of telling what it was for certain, but I'm just throwing it out there to see what the chances of that possibility are, or indeed if more knowledgeable minds or local folks know if there are even Harriers in the area. It was great to see a bird of prey in any case!

HI Mabel,

What kind of habitat? I do not know what you mean by barren land.

Female Sparrowhawk would also be a possibility, they can be very large.

I think Osprey is highly unlikely (flying low, very rare away from lakes, too early even for passage migrants).

LostCovey

cuddlycavies

Sounds very like female Hen Harrier to me.
The V at the shoulders and slow flight says it all.

Mabel

Cheers for the replies folks I know it's only a guessing game!

I would have thought Osprey was unlikely, because rarity aside, the only fresh water nearby would be boggy and acidic. Poor for a fish diet! It also looked very dark and the tail was a bit long for an Osprey. Actually it was the tail really that made me look twice. I would have assumed it to be a Buzzard but it looked a bit off for that...

LostCovey, "barren land" is about the height of the description! It was typical west of Ireland boggy habitat, with the odd farm thrown in. There were few trees, so that would have had made a Sprawk a bit unusual? Having said that, it certainly had a similar shape to a female Sprawk.

Cuddlycavies, I really really hope it was a Harrier! Had I seen the white rump I would have been happily reporting a sighting instead of speculating!

boneless

I tend to agree it was a female hen harrier, although can some nice person here let us know the distribution west of the Shannon?

The discription of the low lazy flight is what swayed me, by the way.

sineadgalway

As far as I know west of the shannon is an important summer breeding area for hen harriers in particular around Limerick

Connacht

Your description of its slow lazy flight would say female Hen Harrier to me also. The first time I saw one, I described it as "like as if it was reading a book while flying".
If your boggy terrain is unused by man, has thick and high heather, then all the more feasible.
Regarding West of Ireland, no breeding is known to occur, as far as I know, north of the Slieve Aughtys. Some birds do over-winter in Galway and Mayo, so your bird could have been on the way home to Clare or Kerry for the breeding season, which is a journey they undertake around now.

Mabel

Thanks folks

I didn't realise their breeding range was quite so restricted. I knew they are in trouble alright, but I thought a few might breed up here! I do know that we get them in the area on passage and in winter/spring.