small hummingbird like bird of prey

[kendal]

Walking in the hills above Ullswater yesterday we saw a small bird (size between Robin and Blackbird) hovering above the grass searching for prey. Its wings (unlike the stillness of a hawk) were vibrating madly like a hummingbird. White rump, black legs. Any ideas - never seen anything like this before.

[Jonners]

Hello Kendal and welcome to WAB. Could your bird have been a Wheatear, I wonder?

[kendal]

Thank you very much - not a bird of prey then! I'm sure you're right about the wheatear. It was a fantastic sight just below us on the fell. What do they feed on?

[whaleomeloette]

i was going to say sky lark, they hover- but sing like mad!

[kendal]

Hi - thanks for suggestion. Definitely not a sky lark - there were lots of them about singing their hearts out in what was a beautiful afternoon but they have a very different flight pattern and we tend to see them spiralling upwards rather than hovering hawklike.