The Red-tailed Hawk has been perched on the chimney of Anchor Mill adjacent to Tescos in Chadderton/Oldham at 7.40 am on each of the last three Saturday mornings (17/4, 24/4 and today 1/5).
10.30am Red tailed hawk sat on flagpole at the Anchor mill, Featherstall rd, nr Tesco. Obligingly stretched and fanned out lovely red tail. Briefly mobbed by buzzard. Saw it a few minutes later on Stockfield mill flagpole near Asda Middleton rd. Seems to like flagpoles! Probably reminds it of those things that captive birds of prey sit on.
-- Edited by Tim Crossley on Sunday 11th of April 2010 01:53:47 PM
I finally remembered to put my bins in the shopping bag yesterday and had definate Red-tailed Hawk over Westwood Industrial Estate from approx 2.30 to 2.40 p.m. before the bird headed off N.W. over Busk.
Unlike the Common Buzzard I saw in the area early in February, the Hawk had quite dark underparts. Currently also missing innermost primary in its' left wing. Just to add to the fun at about 4.30 p.m. today I watched a Carrion Crow harrass a light -bellied Common Buzzard over Featherstall Road & Westwood
At 7.40 am today as I was entering the car park of Tescos at Chadderton a large bird of prey was perched on top of the tall brick chimney of the adjacent Anchor Mill. Approx. grid ref. (SD917053). Was able to get the telescope out of the car in the supermarket car park and look for a short while at the perched bird. I have no first hand experience of Red-tailed Hawk but the bird somehow didn't look just quite right for Common Buzzard - probably just my imagination, although I do understand both species have a considerable degree of variability. Presume this might be a Red-tailed Hawk...given the urban location of this bird?
Scoping birds from a supermarket car park....much more enjoyable than browsing the BOGOFs!
Buteo species over Stockfield Road area of Chadderton 1.45 p.m. Flew from direction of Westwood, then turned and headed towards Busk. Unsurprisingly, didn't have any binos with me, so couldn't get a good enough view.
2nd time 1 has turned up a week after I've done my tetrad walk. Mybe for the last 2 I'll put a date on the calendar then go a week later
I have seen Harris x Red-tailed hawk hybrids (Harris is Parabuteo) and Swainsons X Red-tailed at a falcon display, in Cornwall I think!
Found this on the internet:-
"Few documented cases of hybridization exist between any 2 of the 27 or so species in the genus Buteo. Hybrid combinations have been reported for Long-legged Buzzard (B. rufinus) and Upland Buzzard (B. hemilasius) in Asia, Common Buzzard (B. buteo) and Long-legged Buzzard in Europe and Red-shouldered Hawk (B. lineatus) and Gray Hawk (Asturina nitidus) in North America. Additionally, an adult Swainson's Hawk (B. swainsoni) bred for more than 8 years with a presumably escaped South American Red-backed Hawk (Red-backed Buzzard, B. polyosoma) in Colorado, USA, and produced offspring in some years; a Red-tailed Hawk (B. jamaicensis) that escaped from a falconer bred with a Common Buzzard in Scotland. However, to our knowledge, there are no museum specimens of the offspring of such unions."
The bird first seen (from the top of a bus!) over The Coppice, heading s.e. mobbed by 3 Lesser Black-backs. Then seen from the central reservation heading n.w. over Manchester St ( by the time I'd got off the bus and fished out my bins) before being chased by a Carrion Crow behind Rowntree House and off towards Westwood. Finally seen distantly wheeling around over ( I think) Manor Mill alarming all the pigeons.
Mostly seen from below, so no definate view of upper rump or tail, but as it reacted to the crow I thought I caught a glimpse of white. This is the first time I've seen the bird over my home area, but I did have a sighting of a large raptor-type bird in the area at about the same time as those pics were posted the other year
Does anyone know whether buteo species can hybridise successfully?
Yes,Judith not far from where I saw the bird.My friend Bob tells me the bird is best looked for in the evenings as it roosts on or near to the Manor mill on Victoria Street,Chadderton.Hope this helps! Dave Ousey.
There may be some posts from March and April of this year on this old thread of this very same forum at http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=96752&p=3&topicID=24944224 which may or may not be relevant to this current thread!
Hope this is of some help - although I fear not!
Cheers,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Thursday 2nd of July 2009 07:01:53 PM
Yes indeed, it is the same area. Werneth had many old mills, many have gone, but some are left. It is the same area where there was a red-tailed hawk several years ago.
All these sightings are within half a mile of each other..
I have had a report from a member of the public of a large bird of prey perching on the flagpole of Werneth Mill which is apparently visible from Featherstall Rd North (not sure which side) - it's been there about a week. Would this be the same area as yours, Bob?
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Judith Smith
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Lightshaw hall Flash is sacrosanct - NO paths please!
Passing through Chadderton today at 3-00pm I saw a large bird of prey soaring around.It was over the B&Q/Clayton playing fields area. I stopped and looked at the bird and identified it as a Red Tailed Hawk.I am familiar with the species in the USA.I have been aware that this bird has been in the area for a while(?) but this is the first time I have actually seen it! David Ousey.
large bird of prey soaring over B&Q today looked very much like a buzzard but i did notice its tail was a little bit redish ????? have seen definate buzzard over my works on rochdale road and over elk mill and oldham hospital in the past ??????
My wife and daughter have separately reported seeing a most unusual bird in and around Chadderton and Royton, both in Oldham. The bird is def not a buzzard or red kite, but it has a red tail. There was a red-tailed hawk in Oldham a few years ago, near the Elk Mill, but I have not seen it for a long time. Anyone else seen this bird? Soaring around over the Chadderton Town Hall on a hot day yesterday or the day before. Peter
and had definate Red-tailed Hawk over Westwood Industrial Estate from approx 2.30 to 2.40 p.m. before the bird headed off N.W. over Busk.
not! 