Your day's wildlife

[matticus]

I came across this photo comparison between raptors handy for ID, obviously stitched together shots or the most flukiest shot in history! From left- Sparrow hawk, Kestrel. Hobby. Peregrine
View attachment 627378

That's completely useless to me: I only see Kestrels from that lot, and they're easily spotted from any other local bird :P

(is that "to scale"? i.e. all 4 species are roughly same size? )

 

[Chief Broom]

That's completely useless to me: I only see Kestrels from that lot, and they're easily spotted from any other local bird :P

(is that "to scale"? i.e. all 4 species are roughly same size? )

Here you go matticus Hobby length 28cm-36cm Wingspan 70cm-92cm, Kestrel length 32cm-35cm Wingspan 71cm- 80cm
Sparrow hawk length 28cm-38cm Wingspan 55cm- 70cm, Peregrine 39cm-50cm Wingspan 95cm- 115cm
Peregrine is largest. Dont reckon size is very useful for ID though as you would need a comparison in the field. I go by silhouette and wing shape, also habitat and what the bird is doing ie hunting style.
I would be surprised if there werent Sparrow hawks where you live and Peregrines can be found in citys these days. Hobbys are rarer and summer visitors.

 

[Gillstay]

I came across this photo comparison between raptors handy for ID, obviously stitched together shots or the most flukiest shot in history! From left- Sparrow hawk, Kestrel. Hobby. Peregrine
View attachment 627378

Very usefull. Thanks

 

[DRM]

Most common round here - Buzzard
View attachment 627384

Plus a few of these, if I stray a bit further - Red Kite

View attachment 627385

We get lots of Buzzards and Kites, a few years back I was working at a rural customers and became aware of a shadow on the floor circling, I looked up to see 2 kites riding thermals about 15’ above me, absolutely stunning sight, so long as your not a small mammal, also one site at Wakefield had Kestrals nesting every year, which was ok till the chicks fledged , then mummy kestrel took great delight in diving on truck drivers heads, another site at Seaham I was told not to go in the yard as the seagull chicks had fledged and the parents had turned into extremely vicious attack gulls

 

[matticus]

Here you go matticus Hobby length 28cm-36cm Wingspan 70cm-92cm, Kestrel length 32cm-35cm Wingspan 71cm- 80cm
Sparrow hawk length 28cm-38cm Wingspan 55cm- 70cm, Peregrine 39cm-50cm Wingspan 95cm- 115cm
Peregrine is largest. Dont reckon size is very useful for ID though as you would need a comparison in the field. I go by silhouette and wing shape, also habitat and what the bird is doing ie hunting style.
I would be surprised if there werent Sparrow hawks where you live and Peregrines can be found in citys these days. Hobbys are rarer and summer visitors.

Thanks. So they are pretty similar if seen from any distance, especially if not standing to attention in a line :P

To be fair, you're right about Sparrow Hawks - a friend pointed one out on a ride a few months ago. But I would have really struggled to spot it on my own; it just flew across the road, could have been a crow, or any dark medium-sized bird!
But when these things are hovering, or sitting in the road tearing at some dead thing, or just coasting on the thermals; I do okay at identifying them (well, Kites, Kestrels and Buzzards anyway. And Owls ... )

I saw a Barn Owl in my bike light last night - first one on the evening commute for at least a year. Do Wols count?

 

[Alex321]

Most common round here - Buzzard
View attachment 627384

Plus a few of these, if I stray a bit further - Red Kite

View attachment 627385

Yeah, buzzards are by far the most common bird of prey in the UK, with estimated population between 60,000 and 85,000.

Kestrels are next, with about 30,000, then Red Kites with about 4,500. That last is amazing considering that 40 years ago they were almost extinct in the UK, with only a couple of small colonies of them (one round Tregaron, where my wife was brought up).

 

[potsy]

Very friendly robin today..

 

[rockyroller]

after our blizzard I saw this layer of snow on top of the seed in our feeder

 

[Glow worm]

For anyone interested in brushing up their north American bird ID , this webcam may be of interest. It's a bird feeding station in Ithaca, upstate New York. I like how many of the birds look so familiar and yet slightly different. The nuthatches for example and ones that look a bit like coal tits (chickadees?) and the crested tit lookalikes. Lots of blue jays and some kind of dove. The scarlet red, northern cardinals are stunning.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

For anyone interested in brushing up their north American bird ID , this webcam may be of interest. It's a bird feeding station in Ithaca, upstate New York. I like how many of the birds look so familiar and yet slightly different. The nuthatches for example and ones that look a bit like coal tits (chickadees?) and the crested tit lookalikes. Lots of blue jays and some kind of dove. The scarlet red, northern cardinals are stunning.

Great link, thanks for posting it. Those northern cardinals really are stunning!

 

[Glow worm]

Great link, thanks for posting it. Those northern cardinals really are stunning!

Absolute beauties aren't they! In the unlikely event I ever get back to north America, Sapsucker Woods will be on my hit list.

 

[Illaveago]

It seems like there is a lot of mole activity around here at the moment . I've been seeing a lot of mole hills appearing on grass verges and in fields .

 

[Dave 123]

Static wildlife again from me, but so lovely

 

[Chief Broom]

I watched a female sparrow hawk today, she was hiding under a hedge and waiting for pigeons. Theres a cattle/horse shelter where pigeons roost and make nests. the hawk waited until they entered and then flew in to try to catch one. He missed but is probably often successful

 

[Illaveago]

I watched a male sparrow hawk today, he was hiding under a hedge and waiting for pigeons. Theres a cattle/horse shelter where pigeons roost and make nests. the hawk waited until they entered and then flew in to try to catch one. He missed but is probably often successful
View attachment 629754

Isn't that a female ? I thought the males had a blueish back and reddish brown front ?