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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Max Wheel" data-source="post: 1697867" data-attributes="member: 62471"><p>Interesting thread this which I have only just picked up. Sparrowhawks are complete "loonies" when after prey, I have seen a female clobbar a woodpigeon and start plucking it only to have it struggle up and fly awy the hawk in hot pusruit. Another occasion, the male in full pursuit of a blackbird smashed into a neighbours window, both birds broke their necks. I have watched them this winter both at Woodwalton like you and at Holt Fen when they were after golden plover. Approach around dusk at 0 feet over flooded field at about several thousand golden plover and lapwings - total mayhem for half an hour. Falconers know that both sparrowhawks and the closely related goshawks live in a state of agitation and have been known to simply keel over of a heart attack. I note that the eyes darken with age from the brilliant yellow to a glaring orange - quite a bird!</p></blockquote><p></p>