Monday, August 01, 2011
Raptor id
Sitting in a friend's Calderdale garden yesterday afternoon (so no bins!!) I heard alarm calls above me then saw a number of hirundines mobbing a raptor so I grabbed my camera. It had gained height very quickly so the photos are more silhouettes than anything I'm afraid, and cropped to make them larger. Goshawk, Sparrowhawk....any ideas please?
6 comments:
I would have thought it far too small for a goshawk compared with the swallow mobbing it.
Strange wing-shape, with the long, protruding primaries. I'll have to take a careful look at the next sparrowhawk that goes past.
Wing shape looks about right Jeff but think Steve B might be right about the size compared with the Swallow. Wonder if Gos would show more head and neck?
I wouldn't be sure.
I always think Sparrowhawk is obvious whereas when it's the big one it always leaves a question mark and oh for just a bit more time to see the bird a bit better for more detail. Keep watching for the next time!
I'm always sceptical when it's not an obvious 'common' bird, but the wide tail base and larger size when it was lower down led me along the Gos route rather than Sprawk. Unfortunately I can't say whether the Swallows and Swifts in the pics were at the same height as the raptor, or lower and so seem larger. I've seen lots of Sprawks but only a few Goshawks so I'm still on a learning curve with those and I appreciate your thoughts and comments.
As usual with these things it appears to show features of both to me, wings appear broad in some photos with small hand and S shaped trailing edge which make me think Gos but then is body (and especially)chest big and broad enough? Looks to have a fairly narrow squared off tail to me also. I always think of Gos having a "chicken drumstick type body and tail shape, looks a bit too slightly built to me. Deep strong wingbeats rather than fluttery beats would lean towards Gos but I guess if you just saw it soar this won't be known. Wingshape looks right, body and tail shape don't to me, in other words I don't know :)
Hello I haven't posted on here before but frequently read what others say and admire the photos. But yesterday I saw the same swallows mobbing the other bird, they flew over my house (in Old Town) at about the same height as the gutter so I had a good look at them but unfortunately I am not very good at identifying birds!but reading my bird books I would say it was a male Sparrowhawk, and not big enough to be a Goshawk.
E mail received from JB (who is also unable to post directly to the blog)....
Raptor is a Sparrowhawkk, probably a male judging by comparison with hirundine. Odd wing shape is due to moult of P7, P8ish.
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