Good Day Gang!
Was wondering if you could help me identify this bird.... It is my birthday today. It flew quiet low and straight over my.. Excuse the poor quality video. I didn't have any time to switch it to normal photo mode so I just took the short video...
It appeared about 1metre in wingspan, and I am not sure but "maaaaybe" greyish body, with a light/white coloured head...
I am sure you professionals will be able to ID it from the short clip....
Video taken this morning (21MAR13) in Warrimoo, Lower Blue Mountains.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTSI1_DmZVo&feature=youtu.be
Cheers Boys and Girls. =)
Happy birthday, sounds like a White Bellied Sea Eagle, I am sure someone else will have a better id, large bird, usually obvious white belly, darker wings.
Guess we will have to wait and see.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
That is one of the first things I thought too... Sea Eagle.. However, it just seems a little out of place ( 75km inland), however they are Eagles and they can fly pretty damn far.. Just wondering why it would be up this way...
However again, I am looking at the clip I took, and the silhouette just doesn't seem to match up with what my Simpson and Day shows me... I did not recall much more underbelly lightness either.. It just seemed most of the body underneath was a darker colour ( it seemed grey.. I am not sure..) and just the head section was very bright/white.
Will wait and see. I am very interested! I had not seen anything like it before.. ESPECIALLY around these parts. We get Wedge Tails here.. Buuut from that colour... I wouldn't think so.. Buut keep in mind also I was wearing a pair of polaroids, as well as I am very very sick...xD. Soo my memory is not all that great.. Hopefully the short clip is enough to aid in ID.
Cheers. =)
Ahh im not sure not sure not sure... Memory too fuzzy.. video not good enough... Still.. I consider it a good blessing to have something as big and beautiful fly so closer above my head on my Birthday.. Just awesome... =)
The name Sea Eagle is a little misleading, find them in Tassie over 200 klm from thee sea, anywhere there is water and of course food. I am not sure either, could not be positive from the video, so given some time, someone with more experience and better eyes will give you an answer.
Dale Huonville, Tasmania
Sure looks like a Sea eagle to me, and as Dale said the name is misleading.
I have seen many Sea eagles inland, the Snowy mountain lakes have plenty of them.
Shorty......Canon gear
Canberra
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawshorty/
Happy Birthday Hashy. Sorry to read you are not well. I also thought Sea Eagle but it does not seem to have the white belly I would expect. The only other white headed brown BOP I know of is a Brahminy Kite but this does not look right either both in size or tail shape. Very interesting surprise for your birthday.
Alison
~~~~~~
"the earth is not only for humans, but for all animals and living things."
Yeah. I get the misleading name thingy.. Like with a "Tree" Dragon, more commonly known as a Jacky Lizard..... You will NEVER find one up a tree, unless you scared it up there xD
But yes, Eagles are large birds, with an extensive flight range. The distribution map in my book does show then this far inland, so yes it is a misleading name..
Now, the strangeness of the situation is the fact I just came back from my first holiday on my own EVER, and my first trip down to Melbourne as well.. Spent lots of time at the beach. Saw lots of water birds ( didn't get many photos, will see what I can dig up from my pics later on!). Pretty sure I didn't see one Sea Eagle though hehe... Funny that I come back to the Mountains, and I see a Sea Eagle out here... But yeah.. It's cool. I consider it a good sign it flying right above me.. Was maybe 30 metres high, if even that.
Thanks qyn. It is a long term thing. I will never be 100%, but I will recover enough.. It will just take a lot of time.. But having a lovely big prey bird fly over me is just enough to make my birthday extra special.... Sea Eagle or not hehehe.... Was beautiful nonetheless.. =)
Happy Birthday Hashy57. The bird looks like a White-necked Heron to me, you can see the long legs hanging back past the tail. Cheers, Steve
Well spotted Steve, I googled the "White Necked Heron flying" and the photos that came up indicated Hashy's bird.
Alison
~~~~~~
"the earth is not only for humans, but for all animals and living things."
Thanks Gang! =)
I would have to agree with the White Necked Heron identification. It makes more sense for this area.. But still.. Bloody big bird when flying! Was a lovely sight too see for my Birthday..
Thanks for your help Steve, and Qyn, and everybody else lending a hand to help. Cheers =)
There are at least three pairs of White-bellied Sea Eagles near the Penrith area. I am actually studying one of these pairs.
Your bird does not even remotely have the flight characteristics of a Sea Eagle. It flies and looks exactly like a White-necked Heron. Sorry, also just looked at the latest posts that confirm my thoughts.
Sea Eagles fly in a really distict manner holding their wings up in a V shape when gliding in between beats.
Happy belated birthday too. Mine was three days after yours.