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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dantheman" data-source="post: 1229006" data-attributes="member: 32998">lol, I just didn't have a 'irony' emoticon to go with my phrase you quoted <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" />I agree it's 'most' likely a sparrowhawk . . . (Many/most features do match up, despite some quite apparent 'distortion' . . ) It's just that of over 200 species of owl, many of which are small enough and maybe a similar number of small hawks, and then other exotics which could fit, I have a belief something else could match up. . . and we certainly can't say that anyone has eliminated all these possible escapes. There's also no way from 2 stills I personally can get enough on eg the wings and tail to say 100% that can only be sparrowhawk . . . they're at funny action-shot angles, I also don't know what else may match up!I also agree that many of the observers perceptions of the bird could be wrong. (But all of them?) Sets yet more niggling doubts . . . For ID purposes and to set the original posters mind at rest, I agree we 'probably' are looking at Sparrowhawk here. Enough good birders say so (!!) Everyone's allowed to have doubts though . . . and express them, ask questions etc. What's the point otherwise?ANYWAY. Look forward to a week or so's time when we can all enjoy the perfect pictures of our pristine little male Sparrowhawk . . . Or something else . . . <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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