Sparrowhawks.

Whilst trying (unsuccessfully) to catch some Redwings in the garden one evening recently I caught this 1st calendar year, Euring code 3, male Sparrowhawk. He really was a tiny dainty bird.

He was followed closely by a 2nd calendar year female. A much bigger bird. This one was subsequently re-trapped a few days later and is obviously a regular visitor to the garden. Look at the colour of the eye on the 2nd calendar year bird compared to the 1st year bird and then compare it to the known adult further down.

Ringing at Janes a few days later we re-trapped an adult male that had been initially ringed by Al Hitchmough in his West Kirby garden on 1st March 2013 and then subsequently controlled on 13t hApril 2013 on Hilbre. This was the first time it had been re-trappped since that date.

Obviously there are plumage differences but the two photos show quite nicely how the eye colour gets oranger as these birds get older. See here for a photo of the same bird when it was re-trapped on Hilbre in 2013.

This male is at least 7 calendar years old. The oldest recorded in the BTO ringing scheme is 17 years old so he's got a long way to go!

Sparrowhawk  Accipiter nisus			17 years 1 month 11 days
EF80696	Nestling Female	28-07-1982	Micheldever: 51°8'N 1°14'W (Hampshire)
	Freshly dead  (hit by car)	08-09-1999	Pennington, Lymington: 50°44'N 1°33'W (Hampshire)   49km   SSW   17y 1m 11d (Map)