I was on holiday in Mallorca and saw this bird at S'Albufeira wetland nature 
reserve last Saturday
http://picasaweb.google.com/hairybreeks/Birds#5396204513245243106

Large raptor, flying fairly low with slow wingbeats, occasionally gliding 
but not soaring. The interesting thing was that it apparently had a radio 
transmitter on its back with a short aerial, which can just be made out in 
the photos. All the photos show the bird from behind. The bill looked quite 
large and was held pointing down. I did not get a decent view of wing 
patterns unfortunately so these pictures are all I can offer you. I had seen 
Booted Eagle earlier but this bird did not look the same, and besides would 
anyone bother fixing a transmitter to a Booted which is not all that rare a 
bird in the Balearics?

Any ideas from raptor experts would be welcome.

TIA
R.

Ragnar wrote:
> I was on holiday in Mallorca and saw this bird at S'Albufeira 
> wetland
> nature reserve last Saturday
> http://picasaweb.google.com/hairybreeks/Birds#5396204513245243106
>
> Large raptor, flying fairly low with slow wingbeats, occasionally
> gliding but not soaring. The interesting thing was that it 
> apparently
> had a radio transmitter on its back with a short aerial, which can
> just be made out in the photos. All the photos show the bird from
> behind. The bill looked quite large and was held pointing down. I 
> did
> not get a decent view of wing patterns unfortunately so these
> pictures are all I can offer you. I had seen Booted Eagle earlier 
> but
> this bird did not look the same, and besides would anyone bother
> fixing a transmitter to a Booted which is not all that rare a bird 
> in
> the Balearics?
> Any ideas from raptor experts would be welcome.
>
> TIA
> R.

It's an Osprey, Pandion haliaeetus. The clues are in the white 
underparts, the tapering wings which are still squared off, and the 
rather long down-drooping bill (with correspondingly small head). 
Unmistakeable. It will no doubt be one of Roy Dennis's 
satellite-tagged birds.

http://www.roydennis.org/osprey/index.asp

I will let him know about the record. He will probably know the 
individual bird concerned.

Cheers

Phil

Ragnar wrote:
> I was on holiday in Mallorca and saw this bird at S'Albufeira 
> wetland
> nature reserve last Saturday
> http://picasaweb.google.com/hairybreeks/Birds#5396204513245243106
>
> Large raptor, flying fairly low with slow wingbeats, occasionally
> gliding but not soaring. The interesting thing was that it 
> apparently
> had a radio transmitter on its back with a short aerial, which can
> just be made out in the photos. All the photos show the bird from
> behind. The bill looked quite large and was held pointing down. I 
> did
> not get a decent view of wing patterns unfortunately so these
> pictures are all I can offer you. I had seen Booted Eagle earlier 
> but
> this bird did not look the same, and besides would anyone bother
> fixing a transmitter to a Booted which is not all that rare a bird 
> in
> the Balearics?
> Any ideas from raptor experts would be welcome.
>
> TIA
> R.

e-mail sent to RD. If he wants to include the photos on his website 
would that be OK? Or can I provide your e-mail address (mine is not 
spam-trapped).

Cheers

Phil

"Phil Wilson"  wrote in message 
news:RrOdnYZ78qLk_n7XnZ2dnUVZ8qadnZ2d@bt.com...
>
> e-mail sent to RD. If he wants to include the photos on his website would 
> that be OK? Or can I provide your e-mail address (mine is not 
> spam-trapped).
>
> Cheers
>
> Phil

I have no objection.  FYI the pics were taken on 18th October (NOT Saturday 
17th Oct as I mistakenly said in my post) at 15:55 BST (16:55 local time) at 
39 deg 48 min north, 3 deg 6.5 min east.

Thanks for your help.

R.

I heard from Roy Dennis who says my Osprey is a local bird and not one of 
his.

R.


"Phil Wilson"  wrote in message 
news:RrOdnYZ78qLk_n7XnZ2dnUVZ8qadnZ2d@bt.com...
> Ragnar wrote:
>> I was on holiday in Mallorca and saw this bird at S'Albufeira wetland
>> nature reserve last Saturday
>> http://picasaweb.google.com/hairybreeks/Birds#5396204513245243106
>>
>> Large raptor, flying fairly low with slow wingbeats, occasionally
>> gliding but not soaring. The interesting thing was that it apparently
>> had a radio transmitter on its back with a short aerial, which can
>> just be made out in the photos. All the photos show the bird from
>> behind. The bill looked quite large and was held pointing down. I did
>> not get a decent view of wing patterns unfortunately so these
>> pictures are all I can offer you. I had seen Booted Eagle earlier but
>> this bird did not look the same, and besides would anyone bother
>> fixing a transmitter to a Booted which is not all that rare a bird in
>> the Balearics?
>> Any ideas from raptor experts would be welcome.
>>
>> TIA
>> R.
>
> e-mail sent to RD. If he wants to include the photos on his website would 
> that be OK? Or can I provide your e-mail address (mine is not 
> spam-trapped).
>
> Cheers
>
> Phil

Ragnar wrote:
> I heard from Roy Dennis who says my Osprey is a local bird and not
> one of his.
> 
> R.

Yes, he replied to me as well. Great stuff.

Cheers