Sparrowhawk. (1 Viewer)

Wendy Morris

Well-known member

• Jun 25, 2006

• #1

Good Evening All,

For the last 30 minutes I have had the pleasure of watching a Sparrowhawk sitting, statue-like, about a metre from the ridge of my garage. It blended in perfectly with the colouring of the tiles and the lichen on them. I was able to open the bedroom window and look at it through bins at eye level. What a beautiful creature. Enquiring eyes darted around and, occasionally the head moved to look down towards the rockery below. The Blackbirds swore at it for about 5 minutes and then gave up. There was obviously nothing for it in my garden and suddenly it flew off into the darkening grey skies. Probably too late tonight to catch a meal.

 

Pam_m

Well-known member

• Jun 25, 2006

• #2

What an awesome 30 minutes that must have been Wendy! It is the eyes that I find so mesmerising.

Glad you made it back home from the BBQ in time to see it

 

Sue Wright

Well-known member

• Jun 25, 2006

• #3

Hi Wendy,

What a sighting that had to be and at least you didn't have to watch as it was disposing of another, though it probably did that to a good many throughout the day, needs to in order to keep those youngsters nourished though. A fortunate and amazingly lengthy view! Best wishes,

Sue

 

Renee Redstart

Well-known member

• Jun 25, 2006

• #4

What an amazing view! Statue-like! I've only ever seen them fleetingly in flight, or doing the dreadful deed of plucking (just the once). This would have been great to see.

 

Judo

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #5

Hi Wendy,
What a great thrill that was for you, to be able to study it for so long! The one that pays my garden an occasional visit doesn't stay around too long, just a quick in & out, sometimes it's successful and one of the little birds is carried off for dinner. I always have mixed emotions when this happens, sad for the little bird, but awed by the beauty and majesty of the Sparrowhawk. Here are some photos I managed to get earlier in the year, thought you might like to see them.
All the Best to All, Judo.
P.S. Sorry if you've already seen them in an earlier post!

 

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Ruth Daniel

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #6

Hi Wendy and all,
That must have been some view Wendy!
I agree with Pam the "eyes have it"!!lol!! :'D
Great pics Judo! :t:
Best wishes,

 

Wendy Morris

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #7

Morning all from a damp Dorset!

Lovely pictures Judo, I do recall them from before, but worth seeing again. It was the first time that I had seen it, or any evidence of it, this year, but I know from other bird watchers in the village that it is around quite a bit. I can`t be sure exactly how long it was there, but at least the 30 minutes I watched for and it may have been there for longer than that, unobserved by us.

I`m always sad for the little bird that gets taken, but I`d rather the Sparrowhawk have it than next door`s cat. At least then it will keep other birds alive and not be unceremoniously dumped in a dustbin.

Lovely weather for ducks today!

 

R

Ruth Daniel

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #8

Wendy Morris said:

Lovely weather for ducks today!

Click to expand...

Well isn't that typical eh?
I rush to do all my jobs so I can watch Wimbledon and then find out it's raining down there!!!! :-C :-C

 

Fiona_Morton

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #9

Hi Wendy and all

How lucky for you to have such a great view of a Sparrowhawk! I was lucky this morning too, in that I went into the woods to have a look at where theres a pair nesting and after waiting for about 10 minutes heard the 'ki-ki-ki-ki-ki-ki', shortly followed by the male coming in with a catch, which he preceded to tear up and feed to what I think are two white fluffy chicks. A short time later he spotted me and stared straight down my binoculars with a mesmerising yellow glare. We contemplated one another for a short time, and I decided to leave him to it.

I'll keep you posted on any developments at the sparrowhawk nest, and hopefully be able to get some pictures once the chick(s)? fledge.


Take care!

 

Wendy Morris

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #10

Fiona_Morton said:

A short time later he spotted me and stared straight down my binoculars with a mesmerising yellow glare. We contemplated one another for a short time, and I decided to leave him to it.
Take care!

Click to expand...

Hi Fiona,

This happened to me last night too. I`m still amazed that opening the window, pointing bins at him(her?) only 20 feet away, didn`t frighten him away. Obviously knew that I posed no threat and continued to keep watch. He`ll have had a wet night, so I hope that he`s been lucky this morning.

 

BazR

bazr

• Jun 26, 2006

• #11

Hi Wendy.
What a fabulous sighting: I'll bet you couldn't believe your luck. As for the Sparrowhawk taking the small birds rather than next door's cat getting them, I would much rather the Sparrowhawk took next door's cat. One can dream, can't one?

All the best.
Baz.

 

pie

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #12

Hi Wendy
Ive only seen A Sparrow Hawk "flyover"
Nice experience you had though, and wonderful photo's from Judo, they look so innocent in the garden, as if "butter would'nt melt" eek!

 

B

bill moss

Well-known member

• Jun 26, 2006

• #13

HI Wendy,

Great sight isn't it. My female is back (haven't seen her or any traces for about 3 months) but hasn't sat still for me this time yet. Just a couple of aerobatic displays weaving around the garden (nothing caught) and the reamains of 4 meals in the last week, Half a Spadger, Great Tit feathers, a bit of a Greenfinch, and (what told me it was a female before I saw her) half a Wood Pigeon!

OK, they create havoc among your regulars but they are beautiful birds doing what they must, don't let's have any nonsense about 'culling' them.

Bill.