Flapping

In the course of walking my bricks yesterday, along with a high half moon, maybe 45° above the eastern horizon, this being around 16:30, we had a middle sized bird sitting on the top of a tall tree, perhaps the size of a pigeon, maybe 100 yards to the east. After a bit, it took off and swung around in large irregular circles using a distinctive burst of flaps then glide flight pattern. Climbed a bit, then sank back a bit, then over again. Eventually disappearing to the east.

A bit later there were some crows flying about, and they seemed to go in for steady flapping, so it wasn't an isolated, small crow.

This morning I ask Bing and she turns up the informative reference 1. From which I learn that if wings are extended in glide, rather than folded back along the body, this is a well attested flight pattern of many larger birds, say a jay or larger. Of which we have a fair number here in Epsom. Nevertheless, I was not close enough to see whether wings were folded back during glides (nor, indeed, did I think to look) and I don't care to hazard a tweet.

Reference 1: https://sandiegogreg.blogspot.com/p/how-to-identify-birds-in-flight.html.