Please don't take offence , but is this a hoax ?
No not at all.
Rather you asked up front, it is a genuine enquiry.
I have known the source 25+ years and it is all genuine...
if it isn't there will be blood spilt!
Nah, not clever enough to hoax at this level. Source wouldn't even consider such a thing.
No reason whatsoever to believe it isn't genuine. I'd forgotten about it, but two broken egg shells found in same location recently (by same source, see other thread) made it worth taking another look (as I was reminded by same source, I confess to forgetting about this photo... over-looked/'archived' at the time... too busy! 8 emails from same source on same day, I put it down as male sprawk at the time... second thoughts!)
Gone back to the archive, October 8 2009, original email...
"I took this shot about a month ago and meant to send it to you for identification. I knew I had caught it's chest but I have just noticed that it has got it's beady eye on me! Is it a Sparrow Hawk? Today I took the same walk and although I didn't see the bird, I found the feathers and fresh, still bleeding carcass of a magpie! Feet and wings intact, body gutted neatly and the breast gone. Glad to find that they have predators too. Do you think it was the bird in the shot or it's type that got it?"
So whatever it is, big enough to take on and take a magpie and win!
I'll try and get a grid reference, I have a pretty good idea where it is and perhaps there can be a 'witchunt'. I will be going out there now after all this (mind you this was Sept 09). See you up there! I'm going try a couple of other web sites to see if there were any 'odd sightings' last year. It is around Helmshore, East Lancashire. Any help appreciated bah gum lads!
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(family history from Loveclough!)