Garden Goshawk?

[Wink]

Hello i'm new to this,but whilst i was sat at home (Salibury) last week snowed off work, watching the blackbirds fight, a large bird of prey flew in and landed on our fence post 20 feet down the garden. It was the size of a buzzard, but was grey with dark orange eyes with distinctive white lines around the eyes.

It sat there for about 30 seconds then flew away. By the time I got the digi camera open it was too late. I told my friend about this and he thought it was a sparrow hawk, however, I have seen many a sparrow hawk living out in the sticks and this was much bigger.

Does anyone think a falconer has lost a bird ?

I am getting worried about the safety of my jack russel !!

[aeshna5]

If your bird really was (people can often mis-judge size of a lone bird) the size of a Buzzard, then it won't be a Sparrowhawk. Without a photo I can't be positive, but from your description it's possible it may have been a Goshawk. They are more common than some people realise, though mainly elusive apart from when displaying.

If it was one then it maybe a wild bird ( though many of these are derived from escapes/releases) or an escapee- they are popular with falconers.

[leifus]

sounds like it to me - ill have to keep an eye out (i live near salisbury)