Garden Sparrowhawks

Regular readers of this blog will know that I've been recording the wildlife in my garden for the BTO's Garden Birdwatch Scheme on a weekly basis since 1999. One species of bird that has become a more frequent visitor during this time is the European Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus). When I first started recording the birds this species was still quite uncommon, but I can now see one most days, if I'm not at work!

Just recently I've managed to get a few photos of different birds that have been visiting the garden looking for something to eat.

Sparrowhawk (2nd year bird?)

Sparrowhawk (adult male?)

The first picture was a bird seen on 3rd March 2015, and is, I believe, a bird born in 2014. The second picture was one that was seen yesterday, and is an adult bird with no signs of any juvenile plumage. Both birds are males.

I also managed to get a photo of a much larger female back in October 2014 (see here), which I also think is a juvenile bird. See this  gallery of pictures that can help with ageing this species.