Cooper Hawk

What a beautiful bird! Your so lucky getting so close up to him/her!

Thanks! It helps to have a zoom lens on the camera too. :)

Is it a baby one? Or am I completely wrong lol

You are correct; he's just a baby. He will totally transform as he matures - very striking, but they are raptors.

Raptors are making a return to the UK.

Oh really! wow. I guess we need them for population control.

Bathgate. He looks so cute now, but I wouldn't like to be in his claws as he gets older!

siris. Are they really. I never knew that. I would love to see one!

Yes, Maggiewilsor, Red Kites are increasing around urban Reading, and householders are putting food out for them, helping their recovery.

That's good to hear siris!

I've seen him snatch a couple sparrows from my feeder, but the sparrows are getting way out of control. I've had hundreds in my yard all at once fighting over my feeder.

I would hate to see that Bathgate, but it's nature isn't it, plus the hawk has to eat and I suppose it keeps the sparrow population down if there are too many. Funny thing is the sparrow used to be very common in England but now there are not so many, and yet you have lots. I wonder why that is the case?

That's a good question. I had no idea that was the case. It must come down to food supply & habitat. We still have lots & lots of untouched wilderness here if you can believe it. lol. Plus everybody seems to have a bird feeder in their back yard.
!

Really I didn't know that. Also if everyone has a feeder that has got to help.
I seem to get lots of starlings in my garden. They kind of take over a bit though. Also two magpies that are nesting in a nearby tree come in the garden everyday too. Along with blackbirds, blue tits, doves, pidgeons, crows, the odd jay ( not a blue or pink one lol), and just a few sparrows..and robin redbreasts. I also have some I haven't identified yet too.
But the best one was a pheasant ( right on my back door step) staring straight at me!

wow, your garden is like Grand Central Station, lol! Amazing about the pheasant. CottageKaren also has a pair of pheasant in her garden. I think they are nesting - need to ask her. lol I have never seen one before.

I think they are a strange looking bird, lol, but still nice never the less. Karen is lucky to have two nesting!
And you should see some of the squabbles at the bird table, ( the magpies always seem to win, think they rule!)

That's great you take care of the birds the way you do. I only put the feeder out during fall & winter when food is scarce for them. Do you have a particular favorite?

Awww thanks Bathgate, I love them all, but my favourite is the robin redbreast. I swear to you when I'm out in the garden working, he (or she) comes and sits on the fence near me and continues to move as I move. It follows me along the garden honestly it does. A few times it has got real close. It's like it knows me or something and wants my company. Very weird I know but completely true.
My secound favourite is the black bird he is quite friendly too. And I also like the blue tits. They are not so friendly and keep their distance. Do you have a favourite.
( I also have a ginger cat that visits the garden too. I put food out early every morning and late at night) he won't come near me though. I have to go in and watch from the window. Lol

Mag: Your robin sounds very friendly. They are very striking with their orange feathers. My favorite is the Goldfinch. They have striking yellow & black plumage and really stand out. I always grow sunflowers for them. They are skittish and very difficult to photograph, but I'll keep trying to get a photo. Is your ginger cat feral? They are hard to domesticate, but it can be done with a lot of patience.

I just looked that goldfinch up Bathgate. Your more that right there, they are indeed very striking. I've never seen one before just looking it up on google. Your very lucky having seen them in real life along with all the other lovely ones that visit your garden too! I can understand why photography is a hobby of yours. I would want to capture them on picture too.
On the ginger cat I feed ( I actually have named him ginger now ) lol, I can't see a collar on him but I'm not too sure that he is feral or not. He is not really skinny but certainly not well fed, very scared and keeps on coming back. My cat coca ( the one that goes out a lot), tolerates him being in the garden which is unusual for her as she normally doesn't like other cats, and my other cat kitty stays in most of the time so doesn't encounter him really.
I will keep feeding him though and maybe as time goes on he will learn to trust me.

I think photography is a wonderful way to share your passion with others. I can create my own greeting cards or e-cards to send out for various occasions.

Those Goldfinches are like little acrobats, they hang upside down and maneuver as they try to get the seeds from the sunflowers.

I think when a cat is feral, those latent feline survival instincts kick in. I actually have a feral cat that comes to visit me from time to time. I named her 'Julie.' She'll give me just a minute of her time, then she has to go and wont accept any favors or treats and prefers to catch her own food. She likes the neighbor's garage and sleeping in a beat up, rusted out old car.

Mag - Since you like birds - Take a look at the "Baltimore Oriole' I've never seen one here in New York, but only when I visit my sister in Maryland. I think you would really like them. They have a peculiar song - kind of like my I-Phone ringtone.

I never thought about photography like that before, but can see what you mean now you mention it. And what a lovely thing to do (creating your own cards/e-cards ), it personalises them even more! I have a friend who was very much into tapestry and sowing, she made me some lovely pieces which I framed and put up on the wall. I know it's not the same as photography but the niceness, thought personal effort is, ( well to me anyway). Lol.
I think it's very thoughtful indeed!

Strangely enough Julie (the cat) probly feels really safe in that beat up old car, I guess that she unfortunately doesn't know any different being feral. Maybe given time she will though and perhaps along with my feral cat ginger they will learn to trust us.

I did look that bird up and also looked the song/call it has up too. Your quite right, I do like it. It's just the sort of bird that I think is beautiful and very lovely indeed. I wasn't overly keen on it's song/call though. It actually reminded me of my wake up alarm on my phone, perhaps that's why! lol

lol, many people have commented on the oriole's peculiar song. It's not what you'd expect to hear, a little odd. They are easily entreated with orange slices which matches their coloring :)

I would be getting lots of orange slices then. Lol