Massive bird of prey (Sorry - didn't get a pic)

Went up to my land today, and there on a fence post was a massive bird of prey, just sat there bold as brass perched on a fence post. Unfortunately, despite 4 of us having cameras with us, none of us managed to get the camera on it before it flew away.

Based on the following details, can anyone suggest what it might have been?

It was red/brown in colour. Hawk shaped, but much larger than the likes of kestrels or perigrins. I'd say from the top of its head to the tip of its tail, when perched, would be about 18" to 2ft. Wing span when it flew away probably 4ft. When it left, it maintained a low altitude, and seemed to flap its wings in a long, slow beat, and only flapped a couple of times, seeming to prefer to glide. It briefly landed on fence posts several times, flying short distances of maybe 50ft at a time, until it was out of sight.

Incidentally, while it was about, no other bird could be seen or heard. Once it had gone, I saw a few other birds make a break for it from their hiding places in the nearby trees.

It seems (to me at least) likely to have been a red kite, but I'm not aware that any live in our area.

 

Red Kites have a distinctive fork in their tail. Based in your description I'm tempted to say it was a buzzard, very common here in the midlands and on the west coast. Not sure bout your location though.

 

Yup, Red Kite or Buzzard, probably Red Kite, since their re-introduction in England a few years back they've done exceptionally well.

 

I'd agree with Red Kite or Buzzard, given your description of the size of its wingspan I would go with the former

I found some info that said they were re-introduced to the north-east in 2004 as the final phase of the original UK wide re-introduction project

 

Sounds a bit small for Red Kite (distinctive forked tail) or Buzzard (broad wings).

Try googling Hen Harrier images.

 

Definitely a Red Kite CL, we have them all round here after the release back to their wild state. Numbers are recovering well and moving away from the release site to new locations every year. Wales has the best numbers as the terrain is suited to them better.

 

Did it look anything like this one CL?

 

4 feet is too small a wingspan for a Red Kite. They fly over our house most days (and have even come down in our garden), as I walk around the village there's always some at rooftop height (and sometimes that's bungalow roof height), there's often up to half a dozen at my plot and there's a location on the local estate where they gather from late afternoon and we've counted up to 35 there. A couple of times they've swooped down to pick up carrion from almost in front on my car forcing me to brake and they take up most of the width of one carriageway. 6 feet is about right.

 

Still confused. I've looked up Buzzard and Red Kite. I must admit what we saw looks like a buzzard based on the following link, but the size isn't right. The website says between pigeon and mallard. Well what we saw was considerably larger than both.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/buzzard/index.aspx

Our one made a crow look like a mere spuggy. Maybe I got the wingspan estimate wrong. The body from top of its head to tip of its tail was around 18 inches to 2 ft when it was perched.

EDIT: I also looked up Red Kite on the same site. Possible I guess, but the markings are quite distinctive on the underside of the wings. As it flew away from us, I didn't get much chance to sea underneath, but it did fly briefly at an angle so I maybe caught a quick look, and I don't remember seeing such distinctive markings.

 

Did you check out Hen Harrier? We normally get loads round here over winter but although there's not been so many this year there was one at the plot last week.

 

Must have missed that Scrungee. Looks labout right, size is about right. I think that's it.

 

I've just thought of a new concern. As far as I'm concerned, it is safe on my land, in that I don't give anyone permission to shoot on there (except specifically rabbits). However the surrounding land on all sounds has regular grouse/pheasant shooters. They're not going to want to the competition from a large bird of prey. I hope they leave it alone. I think it might be eating my rabbits. I planted some trees a few weeks ago, and yesterday there was no visible rabbit related damage, which I found unusual.

 

If it was a Harrier, they tend to look a rather 'owlish' when viewed from close proximity. Over winter we regularly see them sitting on roadside hedges, fence posts, low trees and the highest one was perched on a street light outside our plot.

 

My dad spotted it first, and proclaimed that there was a 'massive owl' perched on the fence post. When I first spotted it the first thing that sprung to mind was eagle owl. Looking again it was clearly hawk shaped as opposed to owl shaped, so I guess you're probably right.

 

Clueless, another Buzzard pic to compare to Scrungee's Harrier, Buzzards are very variable in plumage. Could be either, both are large birds and much bigger than a Pigeon or Mallard.