Do any of our readers know what kind of bird this is? It looks like a bird of prey to me, but I’m no expert. It was sitting on my gatepost in Drylaw this morning.
Sent the pic to Charlie Everitt of NWCU and he got back saying its a sparrowhawk.
it has the white eye brows of a sparrowhawk. Lovely photo.
some of the features used to distinguish it like tail length, breast feathers and scale (how big it is) is not visible in your picture (but it is a lovely photo :-). As it resembles both a sparrowhawk and peregrine falcon I’d be inclined to guess the sparrowhawk, which is smaller than a peregrine and more numerous in these parts…..
Hi Lynda
Sadly I couldn’t get a look at him from the front, but I’ll send on another picture of his tail feathers.
I am thinking of keeping him if he comes back – I will become his friend; feed and train him every day. I might even turn this into a film set in a gritty, industrial town …
I think you’re right. I thought at first it was a mighty sea eagle that had perhaps been blown off course. Then I put my glasses on …
Hi Dave,
Sent the pic to Charlie Everitt of NWCU and he got back saying its a sparrowhawk.
it has the white eye brows of a sparrowhawk. Lovely photo.
some of the features used to distinguish it like tail length, breast feathers and scale (how big it is) is not visible in your picture (but it is a lovely photo :-). As it resembles both a sparrowhawk and peregrine falcon I’d be inclined to guess the sparrowhawk, which is smaller than a peregrine and more numerous in these parts…..
Hi Lynda
Sadly I couldn’t get a look at him from the front, but I’ll send on another picture of his tail feathers.
I am thinking of keeping him if he comes back – I will become his friend; feed and train him every day. I might even turn this into a film set in a gritty, industrial town …
I think you’re right. I thought at first it was a mighty sea eagle that had perhaps been blown off course. Then I put my glasses on …
I think its a Sparrowhawk, but not 100% sure.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/sparrowhawk/index.aspx