hawks in Eastbourne

[glasfryn]

yesterday afternoon while having a break outside with the family we all caught glimpse of a hawk (looked like a sparrowhawk?) and strangely there were little or no birds in the sky.
reading the local news on the TV I see that Eastbourne are using hawks the scare off seagulls from the crematorium as they are dive bombing the mourners.
I have seen a hawk before in the area but thought I was mistaking it for another bird
anyone else know anything about this ?
the hawk was near the Sovriegn centre which is a fair way from the crematorium
could this actually be a wild Sparrowhawk?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I did a story on the crematorium hawks this week but, as you say, that is a fair way from there. I wonder. I guess it could be someone who has a bird letting them out for a fly around.

Would be lovely if it was a wild one though.

 

[Tubby Mondays]

I know that there is a Whitehawk in Brighton if that helps?

 

[StillHateBellotti]

I live by the marshland off of Seven Oaks Rd and have seen one flying around there on occasions.

 

[jmsc]

Sparrowhawks are very common in Sussex (although there is no way they could see anything as big as a herring gull off)

 

[spongy]

Sparrowhawks aren't that big and are normally found in wooded areas. And are quite difficult to keep for falconers.

If they're using birds of prey the mostly likely candidate is a Harris Hawk.

Possibly a buzzard but we have a nestig pair of buzzards quite near me and the seagulls give them grief, not the other way round.

 

[Paskman]

If you know where to look, in Sussex, at this time of year you will see sparrowhawks (common) and goshawks (rare, but I believe do nest in the county). There are also various falcons; peregrines, hobbys, merlins and kestrels, all of which are reasonably abundant. The commonest bird of prey in the county is the common buzzard (large). You might also see kites, honey buzzards, hen harriers and marsh harriers; the kites are becomming more common (had 2 over my house last year), the harriers more likely to be in transit - although there was a mrsh harrier in residence at Dungerness (just over the Kent border) this summer.

There also used to be an escaped golden eagle living near Ashburnham - don't know whether it is still there.

 

[glasfryn]

having had a long conversation with the Mrs and consulting the book of birds which is pretty comprehensive the decision is that it is a male Sparrowhawk and also while talking to one of my more wildlife friendly neighbours he has agreed that we have not seen many small birds that normally frequent the area(wrens,robins,blue tits and even the blackbirds) but of coarse this might be because of the amount going on round here lately airshow ect.
we will keep our eyes open along with said neighbour and see where this goes
would be super if this is a wild bird and not a captivated one
something else occurs to me this morning we had no chorus from the seagulls strangely

 

[Dr Q]

Is the Honey Buzzard as hard as it's Badger namesake?

Not that its relevant for Sussex bird of prey enthusiasts, but we get loads of Red Kites over our office in N Leeds, that come down from the Harewood House Estate area. Fantastic sight.

 

[ozzygull]

Could be a Red Kite lots around Buckinghamshire and Berkshire


Red Kite

 

[APACHE]

Hawk are quite common in the Eastbourne Downs area, if you go out walking in the countryside you can often see them looking for prey.

 

[glasfryn]

Hawk are quite common in the Eastbourne Downs area, if you go out walking in the countryside you can often see them looking for prey.

we used to see them on a regular basis in Wales especially Buzzards its good to know and see them in a semi-urban area

 

[Stat Brother]

We disturbed something while out yesterday, I only caught a glimpse of the tail feathers, brown and bird of preyie.

So we walk round the corner and there it was sat with it's prey.

Hawk like, and pigeon sized, what was that?

 

[WATFORD zero]

The commonest bird of prey in the county is the common buzzard (large).

I knew that the Buzzard was the most common in the country, but thought that the Kestrel was more common in sussex, with Buzzards starting to appear only fairly recently. Having said that there is a Buzzard (or maybe a pair) that i have seen quite frequently over Coldean Lane/Asda roundabout area in the last year or so. I first spotted it on the Bus to the Amex last season.

 

[Londoncalling]

We disturbed something while out yesterday, I only caught a glimpse of the tail feathers, brown and bird of preyie.

So we walk round the corner and there it was sat with it's prey.

Hawk like, and pigeon sized, what was that?

Kestrel likely. Here in Sarf London we are plagued by thousands of parakeets, gorgeous but bloody noisy at 5am

 

[cammac]

You`ll quite often see the odd sparrowhawk along lottbridge drove in Eastbourne, just off the road hovering above the marshes