Looks like a Kestrel to me :)
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hi, thanks for your answer. However, they were not kestrels. They drifted upward, circling, without a flicker of a wing!
Looking at images on my phone so not the best view but I would say Sparrowhawk.
Regards Shane
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I thought Sparrowhawk for the bottom left one, others look a bit Kestrel like IMO, but probs just Sparrowhawks too
Gus
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Kestrels don't always hover and they will also glide and soar around on thermals and wind currents, they are just as good at that as other birds of prey :) I had one confuse me by the lack of hovering a couple of months ago, was a real is it isn't it moment LOL Eventually it came close enough for me to get a good look at it.
I would say Sparrowhawk from the wing shape and length of tail, esp in picture 2.
Not the best of i.d. pictures but going on wing shape I would suggest Sparrowhawk like Colin but wing profile can change in different flying conditions.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Hi, thanks for your replies. I'll class it as a "bird of prey" lol. We do have peregrines nesting approx 2 mile away and I did wonder .........
They are not Peregrines.... I would say they are Sparrowhawks, I saw a pair last week look just like that souring on the thermals over woods near Dartmoor. Interestingly there was a Peregrine and a Buzzard on the same thermal.
Just goes to show even though they are in the main fairly large birds and are often in the open the raptors are quite a difficult to i.d..We had this problem yesterday while out on local moors sorting out Common Buzzard from a maybe Rough Legged Buzzard and Sparrowhawk from distant Kestrel.The wind and sleet showers were not much help either.