ML179247171

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

This afternoon, local birder Fabius Galanin found a Buteo at the quarry at St. Paul Island. Today's bird appeared to be a juvenile based on its light eye, tail pattern, and diffuse, narrow dark trailing edge to wing. We watched the bird for about 40 minutes at close range as it hunted along the SE facing slope of the quarry. During this time it kited and hovered frequently and on at least three occasions dropped onto prey. Twice it appeared to have caught something and was eating it; in flight photos it's evident that the crop is bulging. In flight the bird appeared long-winged. The iris was pale. The cere was pale gray. Overall this was a dark raptor with a chocolate colored belly. The lower belly, vent, undertail coverts, upper breast and underwing coverts were rufous-brown. The head was paler than the breast and upper parts. The underwing coverts appeared unbarred. From below the bird showed large black patagial marks and white primary bases. The bird showed diffuse dark gray trailing edge to the wing. From above the bird was overall dark colored. The base of the primaries flashed a pale window with faint dark barring. The "wrist" was dark above, although not as contrastingly dark as from below. The upperwing coverts were slightly paler than the secondaries, making a pale bar across the inner wing. From above, the tail was barred with a diffuse dark terminal tail band. Although from below the tail appeared unbarred. From both above and below the tail lacked any rufous or warm coloration. This is apparently the 7th fall record and 14th over all record for St. Paul Island.

Technical information

Model

NIKON D750

Lens

300.0 mm f/4.0

ISO

400

Focal length

300 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/7.1

Shutter speed

1/3200 sec

Dimensions

2119 pixels x 1415 pixels

Original file size

859.06 KB