Close encounters of the BOP kind, WOW!!!! (1 Viewer)

Went for a walk through Penicuik Estate this afternoon, we entered via the Tympany Gate on Carlops road and hoped to take a walk around the High Pond. We were disappointed to find that that way was temporarily closed so we went down past the low pond and left the Estate near St Jame the Less Church. Our route home took us home through the Public Park via the Bog Road entrance. Part way down the path, my boyfriend spotted a BOP land on a Hockey goal in the fenced off sports area. When I eventually spotted it I realised quite quickly that it was a Male Sparrowhawk! At that point we were only about 30 feet away from it, we stood and watched it for a short time then decided to try getting closer as it wasn't being disturbed by people passing. We managed to get within around 12 feet and I got a few photos of this beautiful bird.

Because of being able to get so close, I initially thought there was something wrong with it. It then flew down onto the ground beside the goal and seemed to be trying to get at something, it then went behind the goal and we moved closer to try and see what it was doing but it wasn't happy with this and flew up on to the fence and then into a tree. My boyfriend went over to where it had been to try and see what it was trying to get, as he was moving towards the fence a small bird flew up from directly outside the fence opposite from where the Sparrowhawk had been, flew over the river and was grabbed by the Sparrowhawk at the other side, the Sparrowhawk then flew off into Bog Wood.

A big WOW!!! seeing the Sparrowhawk so close and another seeing it take a bird.

I've put some of my better pics on flickr but none are great due to the low light levels and my camera batteries threatning to run out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30990364@N04/6702767699/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30990364@N04/6702887917/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30990364@N04/6702676961/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30990364@N04/6702849395/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30990364@N04/6702818305/

Excellent, exciting birds, I can understand the camera-shake!

My last really close encounter was when I almost walked past a Long-eared Owl roosting about 3 yds from me & I didn't have my camera. But I made sure I engraved every feather in my memory!

Biancone said:

My last really close encounter was when I almost walked past a Long-eared Owl roosting about 3 yds from me & I didn't have my camera. But I made sure I engraved every feather in my memory!

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That must have been awesome || pity you didn't have your camera though.

Lovely experience for you! Sparrowhawks are impressive, aren't they?

Kits said:

Sparrowhawks are impressive, aren't they?

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Very impressive |=)| and he was a bit larger than I expected.