Bird of prey ID

[Rob Chace]

Kestrel for me too im afraid! The long tail & weak moustache as well as the chestnut colouring just about seen in a couple of the shots discount peregrine. The head of a peregrine is also more black & white. In fact the whole bird looks black & white from a distance. Peregine is a much stronger, bulkier bird than this with a distinctive anchor shape in the sky.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
regards
Rob.

[GuyF]

I'd say it's a Kestrel too, the long slim tail and narrower wings along with the spotting (rather than dense barring) under the wings just aren't right for a Peregrine.
Guy

[aeshna5]

Agree Kestrel- shape + build wrong for Peregrine.

[Jim Ford]

It was a bit churlish to say that it was a kestrel, after Colin said being told it was a peregrine made 'an old man happy'! What are you trying to do with the poor bloke in his twilight years?
;^)

Jim

[Lin Murray]

To really twist the knife into poor Colin I'm waivering to the fat female kestral side now sorry shouldn't have been so hasty
Tail markings, not enough moustache, small bill...
LM

[ChrisJB]

Yup, it is a Kestrel.

Regards, Chris

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

Yup, it is a Kestrel.

Another one putting the boot in!
;^)

Jim

[NicolaB]

I suggested peregrine because Colin said it was too big to be a Kestrel...maybe it's just a massive fat lady kestrel after all! Funny that the wildfowl were spooked by it, as the ones I've seen at the wetlands centre are usually unfazed by kestrels...maybe extra large ones have the peregrine effect!

[FalconBirder]

Sorry Colin, but I too consider this to be a Kestrel, probably an immature male. We're rather blessed in South-West England because the area holds a healthy Peregrine population so perhaps you can use this as (yet another) reason to travel to Bristol to visit you son?

Best regards,

FalconBirder (I think I'm the 'KestrelMan' to whom you referred).

[colincurry]

I think its a paragon; or a peregrine gone; or a bird of prey or a really enormous (and I do mean enormous) kestrel. Peregrinehaps, it was one of Joyce Grenfell's 'Stately as a galleon' kestrels.

It was a bird that dove like a bomb straight into the tree.

Colin - still old and still happy

PS It was neither a willow warbler nor a chiffchaff