observation on sparrow hawk speed

[FUDGEY]

I think we can safely say that between 30 and 35 is about right for level flight. What about a stoop? Any one got any figures for this?

King Edward, I have just got a new camera that does 7 frames per second so that could be the way to go. I can take the first shot when I see her/him coming over the hill then shoot continious and by the exif data I will see the times and can measure the distance from the photos. Just need someone clever to calculate the speed from there.

[Acipiter]

Hi again Alan, I can not find any information about the speed of a s/hawk in a stoop, there for I would not like to speculate on it. I can not even find a defiant speed for a peregrine either, except to say some where between 160 to over 240 mph. I am not even sure if (these speeds have even been confirmed or not). All I can say is I have seen a s/hawk stoop lots of times, and it does look very fast to me, just like a bullet drooping out of the sky. I will not ask to to have a go at it, it may turn out to be just a wee bit difficult for you.