not so long back I disturbed a Sparrowhawk on a Woodpigeon kill, but can't remember if it was male or female, I know it came back for it though as next day there was nowt left but a large circle of feathers, and I did once see a female attack a Pheasant (unsuccessfully) at the local woodland feeding station.
As for lucky escapes, a few months back while at the local bus stop one evening, alarm calls from nearby bushes alerted me to a Sparrowhawk coming out of said bushes with a Blackbird in its talons, the weight must have slowed it down somewhat as a male Blackbird caught up with it and mobbed it, forcing it to drop its prey from about head height and it bounced off the grass verge below. I walked towards the 'lifeless' bird which had come to rest close to the pavement but could see it panting away. I didn't want to disturb it for fear of shocking it further so kept an eye on it from the bus stop. As it happens the bus was late (for once I was pleased even though it meant less drinking time) and about 15 minutes passed, the Blackbird was still in the same place. People were blindly walking by very close to it and itwasn't moving. I was now worried about what state it was in and was about to walk back to it when the bus appeared around the bend in the road. What a dilemma! what a choice! Blackbird or Beer? Beer or Blackbird?............. Don't know what choice I would have made but the lucky bird suddenly shook itself off and flew fast as lightning back into the bushes from where it had been abducted. I Enjoyed me drink that night! :flyaway:
