Bird identification please(no photo)

[Evansgran]

Hello everyone, I found this fantastic site whilst trying to identify a bird
seen in my garden and spent hours looking round and reading about the wild
birds that I love.
So I hope that someone here can help. The first time I saw the bird it was on the fence, its body appeared to be a very pale pinkish colour shading to grey
lower down the body. the size was about the same a ringed dove but it had a
more eagle type beak and no long neck.
The second time it came (a couple of days later) it was in the garden near some birdfood put down for blackbirds. A magpie was watching it and as it
turned I saw that on the back of its head were 2 circles, like eyes!. as it flew off I noticed barred grey wing feathers,shaped very much like a bird of prey.
Hope someone can help.
Thank you

[Synn]

Originally Posted by Evansgran

The first time I saw the bird it was on the fence, its body appeared to be a very pale pinkish colour shading to grey
lower down the body.

At first I thought Long-Tailed Tit
but the size and rest of discription is wrong.


What was it's tail like?
And do you think it was a bird of prey?

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Evansgran

Hello everyone, I found this fantastic site whilst trying to identify a bird
seen in my garden and spent hours looking round and reading about the wild
birds that I love.
So I hope that someone here can help. The first time I saw the bird it was on the fence, its body appeared to be a very pale pinkish colour shading to grey lower down the body. the size was about the same a ringed dove but it had a more eagle type beak and no long neck.
The second time it came (a couple of days later) it was in the garden near some birdfood put down for blackbirds. A magpie was watching it and as it
turned I saw that on the back of its head were 2 circles, like eyes!. as it flew off I noticed barred grey wing feathers,shaped very much like a bird of prey.
Hope someone can help.
Thank you

Sounds very much like a male Sparrowhawk

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

[Dogghound]

I agree sounds like a male sprawk to me too.

[Evansgran]

Originally Posted by Picidae

Sounds very much like a male Sparrowhawk

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

Galleriet - Netfugl.dk

Think you could be right, there are sparrowhawks in this area of Lancashire and I have
seen both male and female but I've never seen those markings on the back of the head
before.