Bird Can't Identify

[Khandro]

Just had an unusual bird in my garden; about the same size and same grey colour as a wood pigeon, but with an ochre-ish yellow throat and legs, I've been looking at the books but can't see anything like it, the nearest would be some kind of harrier, but none illustrated have a yellow throat. I'm in South Germany, by a river, wooded valley. Any thoughts please?

[Tilly2]

Montagu's Harrier?

[Chipchopper]

Sparrowhawk ?

[gness]

Like Chip....I think maybe a European Sparrowhawk?

[gness]

That should read Eurasian Sparrowhawk...x

[Khandro]

I've been studying the books again and the best contender seems to be a sparrow-hawk but none have a distinctive yellow throat. What I think may have happened (slight embarrassment here!) I was looking out from a first-floor window and he appeared with a great flourish from the direction of the obscured bird table below. He plonked down firmly on the lawn with his back to me - that's when I thought he was a pigeon- I didn't have my distance specs on, and when he turned his head I saw the distinctive 'yellow throat' then when he took off I saw the yellow legs, but I now think that yellow throat might have been an unfortunate blue tit he had just nabbed for his breakfast!
I'll keep my eyes open in case he was an extremely rare bird indeed, and thanks to all. :0)

[aelmpvw]

ornithologists need eyes like a hawk

[Tilly2]

Well, if you'd said that in the first place, Khandro.....................!

[Chipchopper]

I once thought I'd spotted a very exotic bird in my garden.
It turned out to be a carrion crow, flying off with a corn cob, length-ways in its beak.

Toucan play at that game, I thought :-)