some kind of bird of pray!!

[mountainbiker]

thanks for all the suggestons i almost have my mind made up but tomorrow night if its nice i,m gonna take my camera and try and get a pic. its been many years since i went bird watching i used to live bordering masses of fields and woods, i gonna buy a book and see what i can see, if i get a good picture i'll post it!!
by the way i had never eard of a BOP called a hobby!
catchas later, leon

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

Mountainbiker mentions "rounded wings", which suggests Sparrowhawk. Must admit, though, I hadn't realised Hobbies had got so far into the NW. Doing well, aren't they? Lovely birds, good job they don't take pigeons

I agree ''rounded wings'' would favor an accipiter. However, Hobbies can look surprisingly rounded winged when in hunt/chasing birds and especially when feeding on dragonflies on the wing. But as Mountainbiker (hi!) indicates, he is unable to separate a falcon species from a hawk and has never seen a Hobby, so not sure how ''rounded'' rounded means and compared to what?!

Take a look at these two images
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1002/...g?v=1190145391

http://www.birdpix.nl/album_pic.php?pic_id=22462

Mountainbiker also observed (presumably because their were fairly prominent) the alula wing. This to me suggests that falcon can not be ruled out. In my experience, it is the falcons that tend to use the alula more than accipiters in active flight when hunting as it's this that gives wing dynamics of high speed chase and turn.

I'm not suggesting the BOP in question was not a Sparrowhawk, simply making the point that, based on the lack of further details/photo, one can not say it was with the degree of conviction some were appearing to do so in response to the Mountainbikers ID request. Yes, Sparrowhawk is just as likely as a Hobby/Peregrine, both on hunting technique and habitat.

[Jonathan]

The o/p's bird sounds like a spar to me. Both the hobbies in the links have been captured stalling in flight (capturing insects), neither pic shows a typical flight shape of a hobby, which generally appears to have pointed wings. Hobbies are far from common in the Bolton area, closest place to see them on even an irregular basis is probably the mosses west of Salford, though they can be seen on an almost daily basis a few miles further west at Risley Moss at the moment. The bird I saw there last week was a 2nd summer female, so probably not breeding in the area.

Cheers
Jonathan

[mountainbiker]

right the camera is charged i think i better go have a look before this forum all start breaking out in war!!!
watch this space!!

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Picidae

So how are you ruling out a Hobby? Given the reed bed habitat and it's also a summer visitor in the Bolton area?

Bolton Museums - Peregrines nesting in Town Hall clock tower leave an egg for the museum collection

I'm not ruling it out, it is just what I think. I know that area pretty well, and hobbies are at very best infrequent (I am aware that most birds can fly I must add). Red footed falcon has turned up two summers in a row I think a few years back near Anglezarke as well. Who knows? But still male sparrowhawk for me.

Regards, Chris

[mountainbiker]

2 hours sat on a rock camera poised no sight of the little blighter, saw some huge dragon flies though!!

[mountainbiker]

Originally Posted by mountainbiker

2 hours sat on a rock camera poised no sight of the little blighter, saw some huge dragon flies though!!

The RSPB: Advice: Sparrowhawk deterrents