Apologies for the worst photos in the world – I only had my camera phone to hand at the time.
Anywho, I was driving back home from the vet with Little Miss Pepperpot who was now sporting a cone-of-shame. Even though the wound is healing nicely, she just needs this addition to her recuperation for total perfection.
So, there I was driving back in the rain, Pepper in her cage sulking, when I saw this massive bird with a flock of corvids. They were eating a roadkill rabbit and flew off the minute my car approached.
Of course I stopped and started to take photos…..
And then I turned the car around and tried to take some more piccies. I couldn’t stay for long as a) it kept flying off and b) I needed to get Pepper home as she was very unimpressed with her plastic head gear and I didn’t want her to get into a state.
I am asking around my bird-watching friends who know these things to get a confirmation of what it actually is. Apparently there have been sightings of a juvenile white tail eagle (sea-eagle) recently. This one has taken up with an assorted flock of corvids.
I won’t lie, I was hoping for a golden eagle confirmation but this is pretty fabulous too.
To see such an amazing bird flying free in the wild is truly beautiful. I’ve never seen any eagle so to me this is incredible.
How wonderful! Magnificent even!
From such as I can see from zooming in, that head sure looks like a vulture’s. Is that possible on Shetland?
Quite possibly a White Tailed Eagle. Golden Eagles prefer mountainous habitats. We have both.
Hi there, it looks like what we call in the States, a Turkey Vulture, but some of the pics look much like a younger Eagle.
Google Turkey vulture vs. eagle, I can’t figure out how to attach a picture ♀️
Looks like a juvenile white tailed Eagle, they have been seen around Shetland – we had one here in Unst earlier in the year – magnificent bird & huge compared to the hooded crows and even the ravens. Wonderful for you Frances
Fabulous!
Breathtaking! I’m glad Pepper let you get a few photos. Good girl! Hope her recovery goes easily. It’s no fun.
Not sure if vulture or eagle. if It did a glide with wings in dihedral position I would say vulture. The flight pics say immature eagle. YEAH. BUT it probably hasn’t “taken up with” the crows/ravens. Corvids are are known for harassing or mobbing eagles, etc. Bigger birds. Maybe Napoleon complex? Really neat. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely white-tailed eagle (sea eagle, here). Very happy.