Sparrowhawk

What a great capture Kate in one area here you never see a sparrow because one of these have killed them all shame how wildlife is.

Thanks Thrup and Arija! I was very lucky that day, it stopped on that branch for quite a time. Yes, nature is really something.

great capture very striking bird

Thanks Bathgate, I was very fortunate she was sat patiently for some time.

Thank you Paul.

What a beautiful capture, Sparrowhawks are magnificent birds......3pence if you want to see sparrows come to the South....we have hundreds of them! Lovely little birds with their constant chattering.....eating all the bird seed!

Thanks Dd. They are really beautiful birds. I realise they take other birds in the garden, which is horrible, but I try to rationalise it by thinking I guess they may be feeding young..
Ps. We have lots of sparrows too.

Oh NO ,thats bad news they regularly attacked and killed birds feeding at our bird tables before we moved .. They are lovely birds 'but' .. Grrr

WE HAVE A SPARROWHAWK AROUND HERE KATE, AT LEAST THEY ONLY TAKE FROM NATURE WHAT THEY REQUIRE TO EAT, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT NICE, BUT IT'S NATURE'S WAY. MANKIND TAKES MORE THAN HE NEEDS FROM THE PLANET. THE WILDLIFE DON'T.

Have to agree, Linda. It’s nature, and yes, we humans do tend to do a lot worse!

Magnificent picture!

Lindak that’s very true.....

Thank you kindly, Legion and Linda. :-)

I'll tell you a quick story about a sparrowhawk last year in our garden in mid Summer. We have a birdbox at the side of the house which the sparrows or finches nest in. It was the Sparrow's turn. We also have an adjacent tree which the nesting mother comes out to eat insects from etc.

On one day it was in the tree flying back and forth grubbing on the ground for worms and then back to the tree and the nest. We sat watching it drinking tea, when suddenly like a 'bat out of hell' a bird shot past us inches away, nose diving down to snatch that mother sparrow out of the tree and back up into the air in an almighty furore of feathers and dust. Amazing to behold! It was a sparrowhawk in attack formation and little sparrow was gone forever as lunch. I'd had never seen a hunting bird move as fast.

It must have been circling for awhile planning its deadly moment! Even faster than the time I'd seen a Kestrel swoop down and snatch a field mouse off the path in front of me whilst walking.

Occasionally a sparrowhawk will snatch a bird from the garden. They kill at lightening speed and it's all over instantly. Sometimes I"ll have a vast number of sparrows all feeding at once in the garden. The sparrowhawks must eat at least one per day. They help keep the population in check which benefits the rest. That's how I see it anyway. I still prefer not to see it .

Interesting anecdotes from Legion and Bathgate.
We see the sparrowhawk regularly, beautiful bird. However, even though it’s nature and something is always food for something else, I’d rather not see it like yourselves.
One afternoon, we came home to a small yellow beak sat on our garden table, poor blackbird..nothing else left but the little beak. I was very sad, I do love the male blackies.
Horrible thing to find. Nature can be beautiful and cruel at the same time..

Oh thank you, Paul. That’s really kind. :-D

LOL you know a lot of Pauls!

Just you and Fernever aka Paul, Paul! Oh and a surgeon at the hospital..oh and my neighbour! ;-D

At least I know you will never forget my name, ha ha!