An unexpected visitor (69/365)

[white_hart]

I glanced out of the window in passing earlier, did a double-take and shouted to T to ask him to bring me my camera, because there was a sparrowhawk sitting on the fence.



It stayed for a few minutes, until one of the local cats came sauntering along the top of the block of garages at the end of the gardens, spotted it and showed distinct signs of thinking about leaping down from the garages to catch it. I'm not entirely convinced the cat would have come off best in that altercation, but the sparrowhawk clearly decided that discretion was the better part of valour and flew off, leaving a disgruntled-looking cat behind.

Comments

[callmemadam]

I'm glad you got a photo!

That's an interesting story because a friend of mine, living in Hastings, was very excited recently because they'd seen what they thought was a sparrowhawk sitting on *their* fence. Is this some new behaviour of sparrowhawks? Lack of prey elsewhere leading them to gardens? Curious.

[white_hart]

The RSPB website says it's not uncommon to see them in gardens. Perhaps people are at home more to see them in lockdown? Or maybe there has been an increase in the number of bird feeders which is attracting them to gardens?

[perennialanna]

My parents had a regular one in their Surrey urban garden 15-20 years ago. They had a hedge which was full of mice and sparrows, and the sparrowhawk would works its way up and down it. Mum used to go out to chase it away.

[white_hart]

My parents have one that perches on the hedge near their bird feeders, but they are in rural Norfolk so that's not really surprising.

[hilarita]

What a fine shot! Yay sparrowhawk!

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[cmcmck]

We get lots of them locally- very impressive for such a small raptor.

[white_hart]

It is a very impressive sight!

[legionseagle]

Magnificent photo.

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[sfred]

Wow!

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[nineveh_uk]

Gorgeous photo! My family have had them in the garden on occasion, but never with anything like that photograph as a result.

[white_hart]

I'm impressed how well it came out, given that I was photographing it at full zoom through a not terribly clean window!

[(Anonymous)]

Wow. That's quite special.

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[serriadh]

Fabulous photo!

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[norfolkian]

A few months back we saw one of these on our drive, eating a woodpigeon!

[white_hart]

Wow!

[mrs_redboots]

How lovely! I love to see birds of prey, but they do decimate the songbirds that otherwise visit our gardens.

[white_hart]

I think our songbirds are at more risk from cats, really.

[joyeuce]

That's a great photo! Round here we get red kites, but they don't normally come as close as that.

[white_hart]

We have lots of red kites too, but I normally only see them soaring overhead rather than perching. (Though we were walking near the Ridgeway once and startled one up from where it had been snacking on a pigeon. It was surprisingly big close to.)

[oracne]

WOW. Gorgeous.

[white_hart]

Thank you!

[qatsi]

We do occasionally see sparrowhawks here, but more often it's red kites. Neither of them, nor the neighbourhood cats, seem to put off the smaller birds. And the so-fat-they-can-barely-fly pigeons still waddle around on the ground as well.

[white_hart]

We have lots of red kites but only flying overhead - I don't see them perching.

Fortunately nothing seems to deter a small bird in pursuit of sunflower hearts, and the neighbourhood cats don't seem to be effective enough at hunting for me to feel bad about having feeders up.

[muninnhuginn]

Gorgeous photo.

[white_hart]

Thank you!