These photos are all of the same bird seen at Dearne Valley this afternoon. I'm just hopeless with birds of prey. Not the best photos - a bit far away for my camera but I'm sure one of you will be able to give me a positive id We thought at first it was a kestrel but now I'm not so sure. Ta.
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See peregrines
I do not think that is a peregrine.
It is possibly a young bird of some sort.
Tiger Signature
My record of ID is not good, Christine, but it looks like a Kestrel to me.
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Yes it's a kestrel. Look at the tear drops beneath the eyes and the fan shaped tail with a terminal band.
Alan, sprawks have several stripes on their tails, but I've never seen a terminal band on one.
Cheers Deb
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I would say Kestrel too. Definitely not a peregrine.
ChloeB & Tiger's Osprey Data
Kestrel indeed. Peregrines are dark slaty-grey above (juvs a little browner but still dark), have very broad 'tear-drop' markings, and are much more hefty in build.
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Do you mean one thick band at the edge of the tail, Alan..ie a terminal band? I think most harriers have striped tails..although maybe a marsh harrier if it was quite big...otherwise I can only think of a buzzard, which also has a terminal band.
Unknown said: Yep just one thick terminal band, def not a Buzzard we were watching them just after, its wings weren't as broad as as Buzzards. Will have to put it down to a Sparrowhawk.
Yep just one thick terminal band, def not a Buzzard we were watching them just after, its wings weren't as broad as as Buzzards.
Will have to put it down to a Sparrowhawk.
If it had an obvious black terminal band on a long tail, I'd suspect a Kestrel - they do soar sometimes, and in soaring flight look a bit more round-winged and hawkish...
Thanks everyone for the help in identifying. Always trust your first instinct don't they say!
Kestrel it is then.
Alan, I chased a kestrel all over the sky (with my camera lol) convinced it was not a kestrel, it was soaring really high and gliding all over the sky...not a hint of a hover to be seen. When I zoomed in on the shots afterwards it was clearly a kestrel, but without the pics I would've sworn blind it was something I'd never seen before.
I think I'm a bit late to give my opinion, but...
KESTREL KESTREL KESTREL!!
It's an adult male as well
HK.