Levant Sparrow hawk, not visited this year

**newweecroft** · 25-Jul-12, 20:01

Has anyone seen the Levant Sparrowhawk that visited in previous years? He was seen during the summers of 2007 through to last year, but we have not had the pleasure this year.

**Mrs Sweetie** · 26-Jul-12, 00:31

Is this the bird you mean? He was sitting on my fencepost the other day, eating a chick.
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**Mrs Sweetie** · 26-Jul-12, 00:35

Hmm, why aren't the pictures appearing in the post.

Retrying :

**newweecroft** · 26-Jul-12, 09:18

They are superb photos Mrs Sweetie but alass that is a female sparrowhawk.The Levant is not a resident nor should it visit on its migration but it has visited so often and hunted so close to our property that possative identification was possible by our selves and others in the local area.This is a Levant;http://www.avibirds.com/platen/Balkansperwerm.jpg

**Mrs Sweetie** · 26-Jul-12, 09:44

Darn, I hoped I had found something special, although any bird of prey is special imho. I doubt I would be able to tell the difference irl although the illustrations do make the Levant out to be a heavier bird. What are the differences?

Thanks for pointing out that my bird was a female. I now know that the male is bluish and the female brown.

**newweecroft** · 26-Jul-12, 20:48

Shockingly she has arrived! Just out in the garden and who should I see! Thanks to New optics this year I can now confirm it is a she. she is even lighter in colour than the illustration and yes she is probably 30-50% larger than our resident sparrow hawk female. It was lovely to see her swooping and diving along the gorse row and wall. I will try and capture her on camera.