BOP ID - Essex UK (1 Viewer)

[xaviertaylor]

Dear all,
Could I please have some help identifying this bird of prey flying in Chelmsford, Essex, UK this morning. The light was bright and has probably amplified the light colours, but I do recall seeing what looked like a pale rump on the bird as it circled. It was very high and soaring in circles.
Do you have any ideas?
Thank you for your help

 

[tconzemi]

the pics of this accipiter are worse than KenM's pics (which I thought would be impossible to achieve but nice try to take a bad pic with a mirror image of a bad pic)
still think it is a Goshawk

 

[RafaelMatias]

Looks like a displaying Sparrowhawk.

 

[PYRTLE]

Looks like an Accipiter with "fluffed" out white thigh (trouser) feathers, quite bulky so probably an adult female Sparrowhawk.

 

[RafaelMatias]

the pics of this accipiter are worse than KenM's pics (which I thought would be impossible to achieve but nice try to take a bad pic with a mirror image of a bad pic)
still think it is a Goshawk

Perhaps, yes. Are you going on arm length? I got some Goshawk impression from some pics, but the tail still looks quite square on other, so I thought Sparrowhawk would be more likely.

 

[lou salomon]

arm looks long and head, well, sort of sticks out. i wouldn't put my money on it though.

 

[tconzemi]

Perhaps, yes. Are you going on arm length? I got some Goshawk impression from some pics, but the tail still looks quite square on other, so I thought Sparrowhawk would be more likely.

it's guesswork here, the third pic with bulged secondaries, small hand and seemingly rounded tail just looks perfect, but nothing sure with these pics

 

[RafaelMatias]

it's guesswork here, the third pic with bulged secondaries, small hand and seemingly rounded tail just looks perfect, but nothing sure with these pics

Yeah, difficult to reach a safe conclusion here.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Spar for me, what's the status of Gos in Essex?

 

[xaviertaylor]

Thanks for your help everyone - gutting not to get an ID but better that than a wrong ID I guess!! The way it was flying made me think it was something unusual.... but maybe a Sparrowhawk after all. :-(

 

[Sangahyando]

Yeah, difficult to reach a safe conclusion here.

Maybe the OP could upload the original pictures, not sure how much of a difference it'd make but it might be worth a try...

 

[xaviertaylor]

Guys - thanks for your continued help. Sorry for poor image quality. Here’s a couple of cropped images to see if they can shed any light

 

[RafaelMatias]

Guys - thanks for your continued help. Sorry for poor image quality. Here’s a couple of cropped images to see if they can shed any light

No chance of crops of the original images?

 

[KenM]

Tail looks quite long, hips look narrow even though obscured by flared UTC’s, head doesn’t look particularly big, I would lean towards female Sparrowhawk...of which I’ve seen a few (particularly displaying ones, sometimes up to three times a day during lockdown).

Cheers

 

[Rotherbirder]

Whooopee! We agree on one Ken! First of the later two images in particular, just screams Sparrowhawk!!

RB

 

[KenM]

Whooopee! We agree on one Ken! First of the later two images in particular, just screams Sparrowhawk!!

RB

Come come Rother, this accord could damage my PR.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Come come Rother, this accord could damage my PR.

Your photos did that a long time ago Ken..................3

 

[KenM]

Your photos did that a long time ago Ken..................3