sparrowhawk???

[za64]

while at work today in a big housing estate in slough, i saw a falcon type bird diving after a small bird.
it looked to small to be a peregrine ( and unlikely to be in the middle of slough).
do sparrowhalks dive after their prey???
za64

[paulchandler6]

Both are likely although more likely to be a Sparrowhawk. Peregrines are not to far from Slough and are seen in large towns. Cheers

[demicav]

They can dive suddenly for their prey at a surprising speed.

[Pigeon feather]

Indeed they do za64, if it was a fairly small bird of prey then it may have been a male sparrowhawk as the females are quite large, the males are a slate grey colour, can you remember the colour? it may also have been a kestrel if it was orange/brown in colour.

[za64]

could'nt see any colour as it was quite a long way off and against a blue sky.

[Hobjob]

Sparrowhawks can also rise up vertically like a fighter-plane.

I saw one go straight up into a massive flock of starlings about
to roost; it failed to get one -- till its second attempt !!