Your day's wildlife

[roubaixtuesday]

Gliding slowly forward into the wind - as it was at the side of a hill, there would have been an updraught. No wing flapping.

I'll stick to buzzard in that case, but @matticus may know better.

How big would you estimate?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'll stick to buzzard in that case, but @matticus may know better.

How big would you estimate?

Difficult to say. I've seen lots of buzzards in France - none in London - and they looked bigger with a deeper wingspan. I'm tempted to say ''medium sized'' which, of course, is not a very precise measurement.

 

[BoldonLad]

Difficult to say. I've seen lots of buzzards in France - none in London - and they looked bigger with a deeper wingspan. I'm tempted to say ''medium sized'' which, of course, is not a very precise measurement.

I am absolutely, no expert, but..... I thought Sparrow Harks, unlike most hawks, tended not to hover, but, rather swoop along hedgerow or whatever and pounce on prey? We occasionally get a Sparrow Hark in the garden, it tends to perch on a tree, then, swoop on some unsuspecting small bird, mouse, etc.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Difficult to say. I've seen lots of buzzards in France - none in London - and they looked bigger with a deeper wingspan. I'm tempted to say ''medium sized'' which, of course, is not a very precise measurement.

Your silhouette is a very close match to the sparrowhawk here...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/natureuk/entries/dcd6c3da-9952-40c2-884f-15cfdbabc9bd

 

[Ripple]

 

[potsy]

View attachment 580138

Love a Robin shot, had one almost sat on my head this morning it was that close

 

[Rocky]

Love a Robin shot, had one almost sat on my head this morning it was that close

View attachment 580141

That's a lovely shot, Potsy

 

[potsy]

That's a lovely shot, Potsy

Thank you rocky, another of my favourites from this week...

 

[Rocky]

Thank you rocky, another of my favourites from this week...
View attachment 580145

Another great photo, Potsy!! Really clear - those colours are just great.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Heard about half a dozen Chiffchaffs chiffing and chaffing yesterday during my ride. Seems Spring has arrived

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Thank you rocky, another of my favourites from this week...
View attachment 580145

Love a long tailed tit.

Like a flying toffee apple!

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

As I know nothing about hawks can someone help identify it for me? I've pencilled in sparrowhawk as a possibility but I really couldn't say. It's over woods in SE London with a second one nearby.

View attachment 580106

Buzzard. The "hovering" into the wind off a slope is a classic Buzzard activity. Sparrowhawks like to thermal, never "hover" as described.

 

[Ridgeway]

Think he said it was gliding, not slope soaring. Spars will glide if they are above 50m or so, it's rare but they will do it, nearly always females and never seen a male do this. It just needs a windy day and a bird that scanning for what's out there.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Think he said it was gliding, not slope soaring. Spars will glide if they are above 50m or so, it's rare but they will do it, nearly always females and never seen a male do this. It just needs a windy day and a bird that scanning for what's out there.

I'd say that it was both gliding and slope soaring at the same time - slow forward motion, tail trim, fingers trailing, heading west into a westerly. Altitude was probably around 50m but that's marginal. The second one was higher and doing the same. I'm going to have to go back, aren't I?

 

[Ripple]