Help with id - merseyside (1 Viewer)

[pinky & rosie]

Hi

I apologise in advance for the lack of photo and the rubbish description i am about to give.

On my way to the local shops i pass an area of land that is quite bare except for a small abount of youngish trees and every week bold as brass is this bird of prey although i have no idea wot it is.

It is larger than a pigeon, quite a bit larger, it it brown/chestnut with cream/beige colour on its chest, i have not seen it in flight and will try my best to get photo next time i'm passing.

any hints though would be great thanx

 

[deborah4]

Could be a Kestrel - the 'chestnut' colouring sounds like a male, perhaps young if very creamy on chest - hard to be sure without more detail but behaviour and habitat sounds OK - they do tend to sit for ages in open ground where there are a few sparse small trees around - you'll know immediately by it's hovering if you watch it long enough!

http://www.pbase.com/image/14802143

 

[Peter Phillips]

My guess is its either a Kestrel or Sparrowhawk. Kestrel seems a bit more likely as they tend to sit out in the open more that Sparrowhawk. If you see it flying kestrels have pointed falcon wings and they frequently hover when hunting. Sparrowhawks have broader wing tips and you might be able to see the 'finger tips' when flying. They typically ambush there prey flying low and fast.

 

[pinky & rosie]

thanx for the replies. It is bigger than any kestrel or sparrowhawk i have seen before. Managed to spot it this morning on the school run in flight but only briefly. It was a sort of glide eith hardly any "flapping" so to speak. Really lovely bird whatever it is

 

[Quercus]

A female sparrowhawk is as big/bigger than a pigeon, and would fit your discription! a close look shows really beautiful yellow eyes, if you're lucky

 

[Ken Hall]

sounds to me more like a Buzzard from the description. size is difficult to be sure of unless you have something to compare it to.

 

[deborah4]

Next time you take the kids to school, take your camera! There's some overlap in size between Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. Buzzard nearly twice the wingspan of a feral pigeon - but estimating size in the field is not really a reliable way of ruling in/ruling out species Location: ie. a 'bare piece of land' in the city (guess you are in fairly urban area) doesn't sound too likely for Buzzard.

 

[pinky & rosie]

its not really an urban area. The village i about a mile in one direction and a small town the same distance in the other. All aroud this area is a wooded area belonging to a stately home so pretty much fields and open land. My husband has seen him again on his way home tonight and estimates his wing span to be between 60 - 80cm.

 

[deborah4]

its not really an urban area. The village i about a mile in one direction and a small town the same distance in the other. All aroud this area is a wooded area belonging to a stately home so pretty much fields and open land. My husband has seen him again on his way home tonight and estimates his wing span to be between 60 - 80cm.

Sorry Rosie, wrongly assumed from your atavar title and your first post you were in an urban area - location ok for Buzzard but wingspan sounds fine for Kestrel or Sparrowhawk.

 

[pinky & rosie]

also its wing tips are "fingered" not pointed like a kestrel. I'll try my best for a pic tomorrow

 

[boddie]

Sounds like a buzzard, although I'd wager your husnad has the wingspan a bit off. Give me a description of it in flight, or if you've never seen it fly, some proportions eg how big is the head in comparrrison to the body? etc.

 

[pinky & rosie]

I've seen it in flight briefly. It was more of a glide tho hardly any 'flapping' Its rather large and its head is quite chunky too. we have noticed its tail seems quite short and don't know if its relevant but there is a motorway just behind the trees it is always sitting in.

 

[pinky & rosie]

also not sure if its worth noting but we often see it around the estate which is heavily populated with pheasants and partridge

 

[deborah4]

Buzzard is possibility but when essential ID features are lacking, it can't really be said to be 'more like' anything IMO.

Other BoPs can't be ruled out either - owls, escapes etc - until Rosie gets a pic, it's just guesswork.

 

[Birdbox]

I think you're on to a Buzzard. Kestrels are most commonly seen in flight whilst hunting and most non-birders' views of a Sparrowhawk are of a raptor flashing across the road.
Buzzards, on the other hand, openly perch and 'flap' languidly for all to see (a rather different story in years gone by when they were very much rarer). The Buzzard is back and I'm so pleased that you've noticed! I often wonder how many people, busy in their own thoughts and deeds, notice the motorway eagle slipping over the carriageway.

 

[pinky & rosie]

Managed a Photo!!

Finally managed a shot any ideas now???!!?!?!?!?!

 

[Marcus Conway - ebirder]

Thats a kite species.
I would presume red.

 

[deborah4]

Agreed! Red Kite

Well done Rosie - always best to excercise caution on Id threads until a photo.

Hope you enjoy!