Kestrel

[s.varty]

theresa pair of red kites at santa pod is that near where you live

 

Not to far away,sharpenhoe,shillington,sundon. Two pairs of red kites were released at sharpenhoe clappers a few years ago. The kites are defiently not breeding as well as the buzzards.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I know sparrowhawks hunt on the move, thet can (and do) hover though. I have a pair nesting at the bottom of my field and have seen them do it. The point I was making was not that it was a sparrowhawk, but that it would be more likely to be one than a kite or buzzard.

 

why more likely, thats silly, If sparrowhawks hover, it is a rare (your the only witness) event, and as kites and buzzards use high altitude and great eyesight often we see very little of the scale of them as they "circle" over us high in the sky. the sparow hawk prefers to be out of sight and stoop in low level and smash and grab their prey, or hunt a pidgeon with great skill through the canopy.

 

The chances of this bird on description alone being a sparrowhawk are remote.

[Rich Rule]

just a suggestion but could it have been a dirty seagull?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

just a suggestion but could it have been a dirty seagull?

 

 

 

love your realism:thumbup:

[_Karlos_]

Probably a buzzard, I guess we'll never know!

Sparrowhawks can hover, as can many birds of prey, but not like a kestrel, it's more of a brief hover, realign and change direction, if that makes sense.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

[spudulike]

Kites - big birds of prey, glide on thermals, tails are a very distinctive "V" shape

 

Buzzards - similar to above, rounded wing and rounded tail

 

Sparrowhawks smaller- generally fast moving through woodland etc and take smaller birds on the fly

 

Kestrels smaller still - very distinctive hover and swoop to take prey

 

Have flown Buzzards and Harris hawkes and handled Eagles/Owls/Lanners etc - I love seeing these birds taking residence in the UK again.

 

The guy near Sharpenhoe - I have seen both Buzzards and Kites in the area but the above should help define what the birds are.