Garden Bird Drama

[Fab Foodie]

Some years ago we saw an Alpine Chough near Holyhead.
Nice spot though @doughnut

….that's something to crow about!

 

[matticus]

Just enjoy the wildlife around you it's one thing at the moment that everyone can enjoy with little risk to others.

True, but it's much more fun when they start killing each other.

 

[BoldonLad]

Can you rent a Sparrowhawk? I really hate the noise of Wood Pigeons, and a couple are nest-building in the trees overlooking our back-garden.

Good idea. We seem to have a surplus of wood pigeons, and, there are pigeons lofts nearby with homeing pigeons etc. We do get the occasional sparrow hawk, but, with such a ready food supply, I am surprised and disappointed we don’t see more.

We do get the occasional pile of feathers on the lawn, so, something must “get” the odd pigeon

 

[Randomnerd]

Pigeons dont make very good nests. As a contract woodman for some years, I can attest to their poor building skills. If they’ve survived the sparrow hawk they will make a nest elsewhere In no time. Dunno is - the hedge sparrow - make several nests during a season.
Birds all go quiet when the hawk is about. After the kill - a spectacular sight - nothing is about for a good while until the coast is clear. Clever all round.

 

[Globalti]

I remember walking through a wood in mid Wales one bright sunny day when suddenly there was a commotion and every bird fled the wood. Seconds later three red kites arrived and floated just above the trees, their heads rotating as they checked us out for edibility. Spectacular.

 

[matticus]

Kites are 2-a-penny over our gardens. They ARE spectacular, but the birds (and us) are pretty used to them - they don't take live prey. You often see crows chasing them off.

But a hawk - that actually kills stuff - that I would like to see in our garden!

 

[Paulus]

We had a hawk trying to take birds from our bird table. The hawk had a regular run in and so I hung a piece of reonet in the apple tree. the usual birds could get through but it deterred the hawk

Bird tables are a blessing for Sparrow hawks. They will sit in a tree or Bush waiting and watching for prey.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Kites are 2-a-penny over our gardens. They ARE spectacular, but the birds (and us) are pretty used to them - they don't take live prey. You often see crows chasing them off.

They will, but mostly they can't be arsed.

 

[Archie_tect]

I’m magic with words, just like Merlin....

The eagle-eyed among us recognise vulture when we see it.

 

[Archie_tect]

The eagle-eyed among us recognise vulture when we see it.

Our thick pigeons spent a week or two making a nest in a fir tree- then came a bit of a breeze and the nest rolled out of the tree and fell on to the lawn. They unpicked it and spend a few days trying to rebuild it but thankfully lost interest.

 

[Rusty Nails]

This is outside our kitchen window. This sparrowhawk has come and sat here every so often on the fence next to the bird feeders. We have 25 yards of privet hedge the other side of the garden which is a magnet for the sparrows, and we actually saw one of them caught and taken away last year. Not pleasant, the sparrow seemed to almost scream, but that is nature for you.

 

[wheresthetorch]

Mrs WTT, falconer of this parish, says female sparrowhawk.

 

[Dave 123]

The likelyhood is female Sparrowhawk but the photo does make it look big even without perspective.
Less likely to be a Goshawk as has been said but strange things happen in bird watching.
Some years ago we saw an Alpine Chough near Holyhead. Many of the experts said it wasn't possible. Then 3 weeks later someone got a photo of it.
Similarly, years ago we had a Parakeet land on our bird feeder and I got good photos of it......the first recorded sighting in the North West.
Nice spot though @doughnut

an alpine Clough you say?Remember the alpine pop man?

 

[Levo-Lon]

The eagle-eyed among us recognise vulture when we see it.

I heard he was the Pelican Brief

 

[Levo-Lon]

This is outside our kitchen window. This sparrowhawk has come and sat here every so often on the fence next to the bird feeders. We have 25 yards of privet hedge the other side of the garden which is a magnet for the sparrows, and we actually saw one of them caught and taken away last year. Not pleasant, the sparrow seemed to almost scream, but that is nature for you.

View attachment 516903

Nice photo, Mr sparrow hawk ,see them more often around my way, but the females will probably be sitting or close to laying