sparrowhawk (1 Viewer)

[little sparrow]

I ve been noticing the female sparrow hawk in and around the Garden more lately. I assume its got young to feed and taking easy pickings from all the house sparrows that come to the feeder in the garden. It was sat on the fence at the end of my garden long enough for my two year old to get a good view too. I was sat in my living room one sunny day (remember them, we did have some back in june) when the female flew right over my house the colours were fantastic

 

[Stonechat2]

Hi Littlesparrow,

I had one sitting on my roof in February i think it was. As i was walking around the corner to my house it glided about 5 metres in frount of me and about 2 metres above the ground, you can imagine how amazed i was, especially as i live in the middle of a council estate. It landed on my roof with it's back to me, so i ran upstairs, climbed onto my window ledge looked on the rof ant there it was perched about 5 metres away, it made a quick exit but i got a brilliant view.

Steven

 

[IanF]

We used to get them almost weekly in the garden trying to catch small birds and even pigeons feeding in the garden. Now it's about once a month that we actually see one. We find they will make a sweep of the garden and then land on a fence sitting still for anything up to 20 mins if not disturbed by a neighbour. On one occasion a female after feasting on a Collared Dove flew onto a fence and scuttled under an overhanging bush and sat quietly for ages, presumably digesting some of it's catch though the crop was full.

Another occasion I was filling a watering can when I felt the draft as one swooped past my left shoulder and pinned a Sparrow to the roof of the bird table. It was a male. It didn't hang around long when it realised I was there and flew off Sparrow in claw.

 

[Euan Buchan]

I had my 2nd Sparrowhawk come to my garden I jus saw this huge thing on a tree branch and I just thaught to myself what on earth is that oh its a sparrowhawk. great bird

 

[PaulAshton]

I travel the length and breadth of this country to watch wildlife..

but my easiest Sparrowhawk views are generally while waiting for buses or trains in Walsall and Cannock urban areas.

I'vew noticed they use the same routes at regular intervals and I've watched the same fly pasts or perches on multiple occations.

It's when they fly through a crowded shopping street and no-one else knows or see them. Taken for pigeons by most.

 

[markho]

In the south of the country especially around semi suburban areas Sparrowhawks are very common in the garden. I have a pair that visit almost daily. On good days I can also see Hobbies and Kestrels soaring above the gardens. All within 13 miles of Trafalgar Square.

 

[rogerscoth]

We have quite a few around here in rural south Lincolnshire. Sadly, the last one I saw was last week, lying on the grass with a Starling at the side of a road in a nearby village. I presume it was chasing the Starling across the road and hit by a passing vehicle. It was still warm when I picked it up, after which I sent it for testing under the "Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme" where a toxicological analysis will be carried out. It is not very often one has a chance to see their plumage details close up, so I took the opportunity to photograph it.
I hope you are not too sqeamish, because I have included a picture here.

Roger