Can you help?

[highlander]

I was looking out today and saw this beautiful bird hovering, it was the size of a sparrow hawk, but on its outspan wings, it was mostly red and black tips on the end of the wings was this a red kite? i have looked at my birds but most seem to show a picture of the underside of the wings, can anyone help me out?

[highlander]

I managed to get a few photos of this bird, maybe it was the way the sun was shining on it, maybe it was a sparrowhawk, what do you think?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f397/highlander1959/29thsept2006birds002.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f397/highlander1959/29thsept2006birds010.jpg

[highlander]

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f397/highlander1959/29thsept2006birds012.jpg

[Kenn]

Kestrel me reckons by the colouring, Red Kite is larger,darker and has a classic wedge shaped tail and not the fan of the bird you have pictured

[highlander]

Thanks Lizz, the bird was teasing me all afternoon, i was running in and out the house trying to get a good pic, laterly i was hanging out the washing with the camera round my neck, just in case i missed a pic lol

[catherine nicol]

I would agree with Lizz definately a Kestrel.

Great idea to keep the camera with you at all times coz you just never know what you will see and a photograph is great to capture the moment and you can refer back later and peruse your books to find out just what that bird was.