UK Bird of Prey help (1 Viewer)

[Daz001]

Hello,

Sorry no photos, but I had my Camera in my hand, but didn't get a photo!!

Area is Northamptonshire, near Silverstone. If you know the area, there are lots of Villages and farmer's fields.

3 weeks ago, I saw a Peregrine Falcon very high up, and circling with Red Kites. First one ever seen here and confirmed with photos I took.

Today we were out walking again, walking up the lanes and took the public footpath across a Farmers Field, the Field has rows of trees and bushes, a typical Field and flooded, so we couldn't walk too far.

The amount of Red Kites was crazy, must have seen about 6-8 in a space of a few minutes all circling.

Then as we turned around to leave the field, I saw 2 birds heading towards us, managed to see them early through the trees. My initial thought was, a wood pigeon, or a bird of prey.

Then they both flew straight over us, and were 2 birds of prey. When they were coming towards us, I thought a light brown colour, and when they were flying over us, they looked Peregrine Falcon in shape. Both flying pretty direct.

Now I know UK birds of prey, 100% not Kestrels, 100% not a Sparrow Hawk, 100% not Buzzard, 100% not Red Kites, which leaves only Peregrines, Merlin's and Hobby.

Would 2 Peregrines be ruled out?, the landscape is Fields and woodland. I guess not a Peregrine?

Would a Hobby be ruled out as it is mid March and they return late March?

Would the Merlin be possible? It is usual to see 2 at once? Would they be in the South Midlands in this location in Fields? Do Merlin's look like Peregrines? They really were that Falcon shape, not like the kestrel shape....

My Friend said the Colour to her was an Olive Colour...

I think location is the key here and time of year.

 

[Owene]

No idea on how many Merlin you get but the colour and flight style could be. This one i saw yesterday gives a much more brown feel
Than the guides suggest.

 

[aeshna5]

Hobbies don't return this month-usually late April/early May. We can rule that out.

From your description they could have been almost anything & you can't get a positive ID from this. Structure & relative size (though this can be difficult to evaluate without other species to compare with) are more important than any general colour you think you observed (light conditions will strongly influence this).

 

[Daz001]

Hobbies don't return this month-usually late April/early May. We can rule that out.

From your description they could have been almost anything & you can't get a positive ID from this. Structure & relative size (though this can be difficult to evaluate without other species to compare with) are more important than any general colour you think you observed (light conditions will strongly influence this).

I know the Birds of Prey in this area, so if I rule out a Hobby, either Peregrine or Merlin. When it flew over my head, I said out loud, 2 Merlin's, knowing the location and what I could rule out. I actually thought they looked like 2 Peregrines, but knowing they chances of this is VERY low. So if Merlin's do look like more Peregrine shape, rather than Kestrel shape, I really think they were Merlin's. My friend mentioned Olive and I saw the Brown, but when over my head, I saw the black eye stripes and lighter colours too. She said she saw Blue colour.

I can eliminate Hobby, so Peregrine or Merlin. I reckon Merlin.

 

[Daz001]

No idea on how many Merlin you get but the colour and flight style could be. This one i saw yesterday gives a much more brown feel
Than the guides suggest.

View attachment 1564772

That was the light Colour, but when over head, it was more like a Male... very confusing I know. My Friend said Olive, and then mentioned Blue, and looking at pictures she said the Male. I saw all the detail. Pretty much a Peregrine looking, so if a Merlin can look like a small Peregrine in Flight it was a Merlin. I'm pretty sure not a Peregrine in farmers Fields, and Hobby not back yet from Africa.

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

My initial thought was, a wood pigeon, or a bird of prey.

Then they both flew straight over us, I thought a light brown colour, and when they were flying over us, they looked Peregrine Falcon in shape. Both flying pretty direct.

Now I know UK birds of prey, 100% not Kestrels, 100% not a Sparrow Hawk, 100% not Buzzard, 100% not Red Kites.

Would 2 Peregrines be ruled out?, the landscape is Fields and woodland. I guess not a Peregrine?

Would a Hobby be ruled out as it is mid March and they return late March?

Would the Merlin be possible? It is usual to see 2 at once? Would they be in the South Midlands in this location in Fields? Do Merlin's look like Peregrines? They really were that Falcon shape, not like the kestrel shape....

My Friend said the Colour to her was an Olive Colour...

Two Hobbies at this time of the year is very unlikely. The male Peregrine and female Merlin have more or less the same size and shape when in flight. Both fly in a straight line with a fast wingbeat. Even experienced birders may have problems with the identification at large distances.

A juvenile male Peregrine looks brown, so does a female Merlin. However, the Peregrine appears to be light brown while a Merlin looks rather dark in flight and the stripes are very visible.

And then there are two. Both species are not very social, almost always you see one at a time. It is possible though, I've seen two migrating Merlins a few years ago. Are there migrating Peregrines in the UK?

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

Sorry I can’t help.

 

[delia todd]

HiDaz and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[Patudo]

If your initial impression was something woodpigeon size, and you have a good working knowledge of your local bird life, which it sounds like you do, it wouldn't be a merlin.

Peregrines can show up almost anywhere and you might also want to have a look further down the list of British raptors.

 

[Daz001]

If your initial impression was something woodpigeon size, and you have a good working knowledge of your local bird life, which it sounds like you do, it wouldn't be a merlin.

Peregrines can show up almost anywhere and you might also want to have a look further down the list of British raptors.

I know Birds of Prey in this area. The common ones, see them every day. So I can rule out Kestrels, Sparrow hawks etc. These were 100% Falcon. Saw them perfectly. I actually thought, wow, 2 Peregrines, but must be Merlin's as they couldn't be that. Then questioned if a Hobby (which is ruled out) Merlin's are actually called the Pigeon Falcon, because they look like Pigeons (I read that today, but I thought it might be because the ate Pigeon's)

 

[Daz001]

The weird thing, The first Peregrine I ever saw in the UK was 3 weeks ago in this same location (about 5 minutes walk). So they are around. I have a photo and it's been confirmed. That was very high, completely different, circling with 3 Red Kites, which is how I manged to see it. Saw the smaller bird circling and got the photo. I do know my usual birds, and can spot Birds of Prey. This has thrown me off as never seen a Merlin before (maybe), so have nothing to compare it, and seeing 2 birds of Prey following each other is rare too, I thought that was weird. A few minutes before saw 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers too, which I never see and a pair. Good day birding.

 

[Butty]

The first Peregrine I ever saw in the UK was 3 weeks ago in this same location (about 5 minutes walk). So they are around. I have a photo

Could we see it?

 

[Daz001]

Could we see it?

It was very high, had to use a zoom lens. That's why so dark. Unless anyone disagrees, that is a Peregrine. Reason I didn't get todays Birds on Camera was that they were so low and coming Straight over me. Either risk a photo, miss and not see them, or just get a good look. Then camera didn't focus fast enough after passed.

 

[PW23]

Hi Daz. Yes, the bird you've provided photos of is a Peregrine. I don't think you can rule out that you saw Peregrines today just on location. I recently went to a well known Merlin spot (quiet country lane surrounded by arable and livestock fields) only to find a Peregrine perched on the ground towards the edge of a field. Both species are possible in the location you've described IMO.

 

[Daz001]

Thanks all! Good news is that I'm seeing far more Birds of Prey than in the past. Hopefully it's to do with numbers increasing.

 

[01101001]

Sparrowhawks do fly-bys low above the ground and have a dovelike size and flight pattern, too (two I saw very close were Collared Dove-sized, but, maybe, they were males). Younger birds seem more brownish above and below. Not sure about there being two of them at once, though.

EDIT: While they don't prove anything themselves, here are the bar charts for Silverstone from Merlin (so just the eBird data are included).

(Which also means that your Peregrine observation was notable for the area.)

 

[Derbyfella]

Can goshawk be ruled out?

 

[KenM]

Can goshawk be ruled out?

Yes, moustachial is viewable in first image as well as general shape, as of post 13.

 

[Butty]

moustachial is viewable in first image as well as general shape

Someone's not paying attention...

 

[Derbyfella]

Yes, moustachial is viewable in first image as well as general shape.

I should have quoted the first post, to have clarified.