Driving down the country lanes by the wrekin in shropshire on my way to work this morning I saw a bird "hovering" the other side of a hedge in a field and I am sure it wasn't a kestrel. The way it was "hovering" was much more ungainly/clumsy than a kestrel, It was bigger than a kestrel but not as big as a buzzard and unfortunately I couldn't get any colours as the sun was behind it so it was basically in silhouette. I did think it may be a sparrowhawk but I have never seen them display this behaviour, and I am not sure if it was too big for a sparrowhawk????? Any ideas?
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"Hovering" bird in shropshire uk (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Loubeelaa
- Start date
I have yet to see a Sparrowhawk hovering, but I have seen small male Common Buzzards hovering. Your description of ‘ ungainly/clumsy’ fits this species.
KenM
Well-known member
In the area there are Peregrine....most unlikely but. :eek!:
Andy Adcock
Worst person on Birdforum
I thought for one second there Ken that you were going to claim a hovering Goshawk!!!! :t:
A
KenM
Well-known member
I might be wrong! but I seem to recall that in J.A Bakers famous "Peregrine" book, he mentions seeing a Peregrine hovering?
Cheers
stevethehydra
Well-known member
A buzzard hovering probably also looks smaller than a buzzard soaring because its wings are not fully extended.
dantheman
Bah humbug
You might be right, but in this case it's probably a bit of a red herring
(+1 for Buzzard)
Hi Andy,
If "hovering" refers to a bird sustaining active flight in a fixed position for a couple of seconds, I've seen a Goshawk do that.
But seeing the smiley you posted, you're maybe alluding to an earlier discussion I'm not aware of?
Regards,
Henning
If "hovering" refers to a bird sustaining active flight in a fixed position for a couple of seconds, I've seen a Goshawk do that.
But seeing the smiley you posted, you're maybe alluding to an earlier discussion I'm not aware of?
Regards,
Henning
dantheman
Bah humbug
Although you may never know for sure (and it's perhaps a good thing to not have to put a name to everything you see), the overwhelming likelihood is that it would be a Buzzard as opposed to anything else in the circumstances you describe (greater than 99% even)). The smallest Buzzards can be the size of a Carrion Crow, and with the wings drawn in as mentioned ...
if you saw it twice hovering I can 100% assure that it was not a Peregrine which you might see hovering once in a lifetime for a fraction of a second
Sangahyando
Well-known member
I think I've seen a Peregrine briefly "stand" in the air over a coastal cliff (incidentally, in Britain), but that was with outstretched wings, i.e. soaring. AFAIK the only European raptors that really hover in the common meaning of the term (with flapping wings) are kestrels, buzzards, and Short-toed Eagles. Of these, only Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard are likely at this time of year in that area...
RichieTwitchy
YNWA
Everyone has a smart phone these days (well, nearly everyone) so I take it you do too so if it's possible then would you be able to video the bird because this would be very helpful as well as very interesting for me and the members of this forum to witness too.
cheers :t:
As I was the one that saw it and not you Tom ......I can 100% assure you it was most definitely a peregrine!
And as Richie twitchy suggests I will try and video if I see again.....if only to prove you wrong Tom!!
I think you will find that there are peregrine in this area...in fact there is a pair that nest right next to the Wrekin.....which is where I live
Watch "Peregrine Falcon. Short hover and dive" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/K4LEt3w4oRA
If you watch this video on you tube the "hover" at the start is exactly what I saw but without the stoop.
I am positive it was a peregrine as I was close enough to see the markings and colours.
https://youtu.be/K4LEt3w4oRA
If you watch this video on you tube the "hover" at the start is exactly what I saw but without the stoop.
I am positive it was a peregrine as I was close enough to see the markings and colours.
Sangahyando
Well-known member
That's not the point. You can potentially see Peregrines in a lot of places, given their range and mobility. Nor was I implying that you'd never seen one. I'm just not convinced that the particular individual you've described was one, since they don't hover with flapping wings.I think you will find that there are peregrine in this area...in fact there is a pair that nest right next to the Wrekin.....which is where I live
That's not a Peregrine, it's a kestrel of some sort.
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