What bird is this?

[pazmino]

Sat in a high seat yesterday evening I watched this bird of prey on a branch 120 yards away. I tried to take some photos through my binoculars: it had a very white chest with speckled brown. The back and head were much darker. Tail was short-ish and dark. It was a fair size, but a bit smaller than a buzzard or red kite, which are the two most common hawks round here (rural West Oxfordshire). On the basis of googling, it looks to me like a peregrine falcon, what do others think? I've never seen one before round here.

 

[Shootgun]

looks like an osprey to me

 

[sako751sg]

Osprey by the looks.

 

[Swedish]

Another Osprey vote here.

 

[zambezi]

looks like an osprey to me

That looks like a good match. RSPB website expects summer distribution of Ospreys in Northamptonshire/Oxford area of U.K.

And plummage consistent with sample images from RSPB site too.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Did you see it in flight? Wing shape would confirm very quickly if it was a falcon or not - thin pointy wings = falcon; wide rounded wings = not a falcon.

 

[Nickb]

Another osprey vote

 

[BenBhoy]

Before reading replies I thought osprey. Be too big for peregrine if you say "fair size"

 

[pazmino]

Blimey, that's a surprise. I did see it fly, but it was getting quite dark by then, and I couldn't say now how pointy its wings were.

 

[pazmino]

Also its chest was very white with brown speckles all over, reminded me of vanilla/ choc chip kind of look: that osprey pic above has a noticeable brownish patch which my bird def didn't have.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Blimey, that's a surprise. I did see it fly, but it was getting quite dark by then, and I couldn't say now how pointy its wings were.

Did it fly like a fighter plane or a bomber? ie was it quick & nimble or slow & graceful?

 

[Bo Diddley]

"Fly Like an Eagle" Steve Miller Band... amazing how a picture of an Osprey has made me listen to this once again

 

[rollotomassi]

Goshawk most likely followed by sparrowhawk[these are v small yours looks fair size]. Ospreys are a big bird, bigger than buzzard

Goshawk pic

 

[arron]

100% osprey

 

[Swedish]

Google pics of 'Osprey in tree'

Google Search

 

[pazmino]

Did it fly like a fighter plane or a bomber? ie was it quick & nimble or slow & graceful?

I'd say it was quite graceful, not super fast.

 

[pazmino]

Goshawk most likely followed by sparrowhawk[these are v small yours looks fair size]. Ospreys are a big bird, bigger than buzzard

Goshawk pic
View attachment 472968

I'm pretty sure it was bigger than a sparrowhawk. I did wonder about a goshawk, but its chest was very white, it stood out very clearly which is why I first spotted it. Hence me thinking peregrine.

 

[Sol]

I'm pretty sure it was bigger than a sparrowhawk. I did wonder about a goshawk, but its chest was very white, it stood out very clearly which is why I first spotted it. Hence me thinking peregrine.

Likely a male, they have a much whiter chest with a very mild brown bar unlike the females where Its a chocolately brown.

I would assume the female Is sat on the nest? assuming Its a proper mature bird.

 

[rollotomassi]

Osprey may be best shout. The pattern on the head seems nailed on. Your first pic close up

 

[Mickeydredd]

It’s a buzzard.

The zoomed in pic pretty much confirms it.

An osprey is bigger than a buzzard, different body shape, and it’s certainly not a peregrine