Mystery Bird Of Prey For ID please (1 Viewer)

[h14nha]

Hi
Saw this Saturday afternoon. I heard it call but only managed a sillhouette of a shot as I was set up for insects. It was in South Wales,UK if that will help. I had my own opinion, but, as I was just going through my folders I zoomed in and lightned it a bit and then wasn't so sure.
Thanks
Ian

 

[phil baber]

Male Sparrowhawk.

 

[njlarsen]

Please include the location in the thread title next time.

and, by the way, agree with above

Thanks
Niels

 

[nickderry]

agree, male sparrowhawk.

 

[h14nha]

Hmmm
Never gave it a second thought Saturday. Heard it calling, turned around and saw 2 birds come over the trees. They split immediately and one went back and the other passed overhead for a few seconds as a sillhouette and this was one shot of two I managed to get off.
The call I heard, well that was definately a Hobby. They must have been having a scuffle with the Hobby seeing off the Sparrowhawk. I briefly saw a tussle and assumed the sillhouette I photographed was the Hobby I heard calling. It was only when I blew the pic up tonight I saw It didnt look like a Hobby so posted to be absolutely sure.
Thanks to all above,
Ian

 

[phil baber]

Nice capture though!

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Without meaning to sound rude....you can definitely ID a hobby on call, but struggled to ID a clear cut sparrowhawk from the photo?

Again, no offence meant...

 

[h14nha]

Hi Mark
No offence taken and I'll explain it for you. I was in an area with several large ponds with plenty of Dragonflies etc. When I heard a bird calling I turned around and very briefly saw two birds in combat then immediately splitting and going in different directions. I disengaged my camera off the tripod and fired off a few spray n pray shots. I had a quick look, saw they were crappy sillhouettes and gave the pictures no more thought.
Because of the habitat I used my iPhone to go on my Birdguide App to check a Hobbys call ( a bit like a gulls call I thought it sounded like ) I was right, it was a Hobbys call. When I loaded my pics on my computer I had another quick look and then saw rounded wings with a wedge tail. I lightened the picture and saw what I thought was a Sparrowhawks markings.
I decided to post the picture because the only thing I was definately sure of was the Hobbys call. I asked the question just in case I was overlooking/missing something. What I must have witnessed was a dispute between a Hobby and a Sparrowhawk. Whether It was over food or teritory I have no idea as as soon as they came into view they seperated.
The long and short of it is, I don't know my a@$e from my elbow but thank god for my iPhone.
Ian

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Hi Ian,

I've just re-read my post and realised how incredibly arsey it sounds, so thanks for taking it the way it was intended!

Mark