Ornithologists

[DavidofMersea]

Are there any Ornithologists here? Yesterday we saw a very large bird SWMBO said was an Eagle between Mersea and Colchester. It certainly looked like an Eagle, but I have never heard of an Eagle in these parts. Does anybody know, could this have been an Eagle?

 

[tillergirl]

Marsh Harrier? Can grow to 56cm according to my little book. According to the same book, the Eagle should not be down here at all. they grow to 88cms apparently.

 

[NUTMEG]

Buzzards are making a bit of a comeback in Essex too. Up north across the border they are referred to as 'englishmans eagles, because to the non birdy person they look similar. Both have 'fingers', long feathers at the wingtips. Eagles need crags and cliffs to roost, buzzards like trees to sleep in. Marsh Harriers are fairly common but like to hunt and roost in, er, marshes.

 

[sailorman]

Buzzards are making a bit of a comeback in Essex too. Up north across the border they are referred to as 'englishmans eagles, because to the non birdy person they look similar. Both have 'fingers', long feathers at the wingtips. Eagles need crags and cliffs to roost, buzzards like trees to sleep in. Marsh Harriers are fairly common but like to hunt and roost in, er, marshes.

we have Buzzard in the village, the nest is on land owned by our "Egg Man", 4 overhead 2 weeks ago & one about 30ft above me as i strimmed

 

[johnalison]

A couple of years ago someone reported seeing an osprey in the Deben. I looked on the RSPB site and there had been a number of sightings, so it is possible that that is what it was. I saw a couple of white-tailed eagles in the last fortnight, but then, I am in Germany at the moment.

 

[nigelm]

we have Buzzard in the village, the nest is on land owned by our "Egg Man", 4 overhead 2 weeks ago & one about 30ft above me as i strimmed

Do they eat seagulls ? , there's one that's keeps using my new sprayhood as a toilet ! , if I catch it I'm gonna see how far up its rectum I can get the boat hook !!

 

[ex-Gladys]

My father always reckon fun was to be had in the 1930's, burying a bit of calcium carbide in a bit of fish, and watching a seagull eat it, then take off and a while later explode....

 

[AliM]

We see marsh harriers in Pyefleet almost every time we go there. A pair are even there in the winter, and in the summer there are often several more. They hunt over Mersea island and up the Colne. They have narrower wings than buzzards or eagles, and soar with their wings in a shallow V shape, whereas a buzzard or eagle soars with their wings straight.

 

[wingdiver]

If you come to the Orwell Bridge/Foxs and even Ipswich Haven areas, there are some pairs of Perrigrine Falcons nesting. Not sure how far they go to hunt though. The ones that nest in an electricity pylon near Foxs sometimes hunt close too as evidenced by the types of feathers that come down on the bottom meadow when the wind is in the right direction!!