Corvid ID - UK, North Yorkshire (1 Viewer)

[Glaucous1]

A couple of shots attached from yesterday, at a site about 4 miles inland from Scarborough.

In view for about 15-20 seconds, the photos were initially taken of what I thought was a distant large raptor (ie: buzzard sp in these parts), but looking at the images, it appears to show a long winged corvid with a wedge shaped tail.

Any offers on this being a possible raven, or am I looking at a rook and need to get out a bit more.

This is as good as the photos get, so I'm not going to post a full frame image later. I've also attached an uncropped shot to show how distant it was.

Many thanks

 

[changer400]

A couple of shots attached from yesterday, at a site about 4 miles inland from Scarborough.

In view for about 15-20 seconds, the photos were initially taken of what I thought was a distant large raptor (ie: buzzard sp in these parts), but looking at the images, it appears to show a long winged corvid with a wedge shaped tail.

Any offers on this being a possible raven, or am I looking at a rook and need to get out a bit more.

This is as good as the photos get, so I'm not going to post a full frame image later. I've also attached an uncropped shot to show how distant it was.

Many thanks

Hi Dave

Its a raven , The best id is exactly as you say , " is that a buzzard , no its a Corvid (!) ) " the Tail and the Bill are a Giveaway

Cheers

Si

 

[Hotspur]

Great record for Yorks. Definitely a Raven

 

[Doggerel]

Great record for Yorks. Definitely a Raven

Is raven really still an uncommon sight in Yorks then? They're such an everyday bird here that I tend to take them for granted and assume they are common everywhere. In fact I can hear one outside at the moment.

Just to emphasise my point, here it is. (apologies for hijack)

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

A lot of birds are still heavily persecuted in God's own. Can be a tricky bird for us Yorks year listers sometimes. I did the coast to coast walk and ravens pretty much disappeared at about Shap.

 

[Glaucous1]

I've got a county list of over 300, and that would be a county tick for me, so they are still hard to get on the east coast of Yorkshire.

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

I've got a county list of over 300, and that would be a county tick for me, so they are still hard to get on the east coast of Yorkshire.

I can't see any reason not to update your list Dave :t:

 

[Doggerel]

Is it still an issue of persecution then? I can't imagine there's a lack of suitable habitat.

BTW I agree, update your list, buzzard sized, diamond shaped tail, gotta be raven.

 

[timwootton]

Agree on the ID and certainly a goodie for Yorkshire. I used to pop to Derbyshire (Strines, Hathersage etc) for them and they were scarce there too (a supposed stronghold). Up here there's a regular communal roost of over 100 birds in the Parish of Evie (but we don't see many blue tits!!!!).

 

[Glaucous1]

Historically raven bred down the Yorkshire coast, and it was persercution that pushed their range back, so the habitat is certainly here.

Bear in mind the size of the county, say 100 miles wide, it's still a long way to the coast from Pennine breeding areas. That said coastal records seem to becoming more common in recent years (Filey, the nearest bird observatory has had it's only records over the last few years).

 

[luke]

i always thought that ravens would have common in yorkshire? i only have to look from the garden to see a few raven!

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

AFAIK there is only one nailed on site in the whole of Yorkshire were you are guaranteed. Although I have seen them up near Reeth and in Calderdale they are are difficult bird indeed. They get between 0 and 5 per year at the Barden raptor watch point where realstically they should be at least daily.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

As Dave has said, the raven gotand still gets a great deal of persecution.
I have an older cousin who is a gamekeeper's widow, her late husband would shoot raven on sight, as they were 'vermin', and an awful lot of keepers still do.