Re: Then it all went quiet ......

Thank you everyone!

I still don't know if it is the same bird, but what the heck. He stayed a good few minutes, nothing caught, and what a magnificent bird he is.

Sparrow, the picture on the right has black feathers on bottom of his wings with the rest clearly brown. The one on the left (today's photo) has no distinct black feathers and all the wing feathers are the same colour (apart from the white). So in my opinion a different bird or, to put it another way - what a lucky person you are getting 2 Sparrowhawks when most of us don't get any.

Thanks Bob for that suggestion, and I think you are right. I've examined all the photos of both birds and can see other differences in feathering. So yes!!! It looks like I have two different sparrowhawks. Wow! I am indeed lucky!

Stonking shots Sparrow! Wow! Absolute beauty!

bob's_retired_now

So in my opinion a different bird or, to put it another way - what a lucky person you are getting 2 Sparrowhawks when most of us don't get any.

Sparrow

I've examined all the photos of both birds and can see other differences in feathering. So yes!!! It looks like I have two different sparrowhawks.

I think Bob has made a very good point. I wonder if the dark feathers coming through are an indicator that it is a male as previously confirmed by the experts.

These young sprawks are tricky. I've had a couple recently which I haven't shown before. I think they are males but not at all confident. They might be the same bird. Opinions welcome.

Hi TJ

For what it's worth, I think yours are the same bird judging by the colouring and the white bits on the head. I also think it's a male as the roufus bits on the chest are beginning to show and the back is beginning to look more slate grey than brown. However, I'm just a numpty.

Marjus - Thanks for your lovely comment!

Sparrow

However, I'm just a numpty.

You're certainly not that, Linda. The rufous bits and the face pattern led me to think it was a male and I think you are probably right that it's the same bird.

My garden has become quiet with all the starlings gone so there's not much to catch. There were a few very small feathers in the garden a couple of days ago so he may be after the tits.

I've just had it confirmed that the bird on the left on the fence, seen yesterday, is a baby female, born 2012.

The other one on the right, seen a few days ago, is a second year male (born 2011)

Nice one wait till you get them both together.