Sounds like a raven to me....

[andrew_cc]

Hello all, this is my first post and I hope to be active and contribute to this forum. There certainly is a lot of information on here!

Anyway, I was taking a walk just around the outskirts of Bath, ( but still well within the city limits and only a couple of hundred yards or so from heavy residential areas), at which point I heard what really sounded to me like a Raven, which I thought of as a little unusual considering the area, but the call certainly sounded like a raven. I went back a couple of days later with the camera and heard the same call approaching me, so I snapped a few shots when it came into view

Size was impossible to gauge as it was quite high and there were no other birds to compare it too. I was hoping I could appeal for help on here in determining whether this is indeed a Raven around Bath, as the pictures are a little ambiguous for me. Tail structure is more pointy than Id expect for a crow, but Im still not sure....




Thanks for any help on this one....


Best regards,

Andrew

[MIKE THROWER]

As you say size is hard to tell, but the structure of this bird, wing to body size,tail ect says carrion crow. This is a moulting bird and so looks a little differant, ravens have fan tail used to produce great dives and acrobatic flight which they use to display and mob buzzards,eagles ect. it is near the same size as buzzard.

[Twitcheruth]

Welcome to the forum Andrew,looking forward to your contributions!
It is hard to tell from your pics but if you listen here you might be able to get an ID.
Here are 2 in flight.....you can see the kite/fan shaped tail.

[andrew_cc]

Thanks for the links and pictures both. I checked the RSPB website for the call shortly after I first saw this bird, and it pretty much sounds exactly like that, very deep and croaky. I guess that I decided to take some pictures and post them..... on call alone I would say raven but the picture isn't exactly clear on this one.

[Twitcheruth]

Originally Posted by andrew_cc

Thanks for the links and pictures both. I checked the RSPB website for the call shortly after I first saw this bird, and it pretty much sounds exactly like that, very deep and croaky. I guess that I decided to take some pictures and post them..... on call alone I would say raven but the picture isn't exactly clear on this one.

They could very well be Raven then Andrew ......keep a look out and maybe you'll get to see them again.....good luck!

[Little Sparrow]

A warm welcome to the forum, Andrew! Hope you can get a posiitive sighting of the Ravens!