Little Eagles (?) at Mt Coot-tha, Brisbane

StephenM (Stephen) · #1 20-07-2009, 08:56 AM

Hi all,

My son and I climbed Mt Coot-tha yesterday morning, and this pair of eagles flew over. I think they are Little Eagles, but they could be Whistling Kites - any ideas?

Taken with my K100D and 70-300mm telephoto, and cropped before posting.

Cheers,
Stephen

Tamtarn · #2 20-07-2009, 09:31 AM

Very nice images Stephen, really like the third image with the light shining through the birds wing feathers.

ving (David) · #3 20-07-2009, 01:08 PM

hey, nice one!

these look to be sqaretailed kites tho. little eagles have a not so square tail and square tailed kites have the white patch under the wings and the lighter head and the black bar at the end of the tail. alot of people make the same mistaken identity as they can be hard to distingish at times.

the up side, square tailed kites are not a very common bird so this is a good find!

StephenM (Stephen) · #4 21-07-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tamtarn

Very nice images Stephen, really like the third image with the light shining through the birds wing feathers.

Thanks Barb and David.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ving

hey, nice one!

these look to be sqaretailed kites tho. little eagles have a not so square tail and square tailed kites have the white patch under the wings and the lighter head and the black bar at the end of the tail. alot of people make the same mistaken identity as they can be hard to distingish at times.

the up side, square tailed kites are not a very common bird so this is a good find!

Thanks David. I've re-checked my Field guide (Pizzey), and I think you're right. I'd discounted them due to there relative rarity.

Cheers,
Stephen

ving (David) · #5 22-07-2009, 11:46 AM

I am beginning to think they arent as rare as the various texts state. although they are know to be less rare in one area of WA...

hotspur (Chris) · #6 26-07-2009, 08:23 AM

HI Stephen.

WOW!!!!,your photos of raptors are stunning,i hope one day to be able to take photos as good as you,

As a raptor afficionardo,i can confirm your raptors are a square-tail kite

"Lophoictinia isura"

Very,Very well done,it is extremly difficult to capture raptors so well.

Cheers Chris

StephenM (Stephen) · #7 26-07-2009, 11:37 AM

Thanks Chris. I think I just got lucky, having the telephoto on the camera at the time!

Cheers,
Stephen