JDog Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 Yesterday in the cold wind and rain I saw my first Swift of the season. It must be bitterly regretting it's decision not to stay somewhere warm like the South of France. Today I saw a magnificent aerial battle which sadly could only have had one outcome. At a range of 150m or so I saw a Sparrow Hawk and it was obviously chasing something pretty hard. It came closer and I could see that it was pursuing a Meadow Pipit. The little bird did it's level best but as it flew towards me the Hawk snatched it from just above the ground and the rest as they say was history. The same bird will be making life tough for the wild Grey partridges of which there are quite a few pairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stumfelter Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 Yesterday in the cold wind and rain I saw my first Swift of the season. It must be bitterly regretting it's decision not to stay somewhere warm like the South of France. Today I saw a magnificent aerial battle which sadly could only have had one outcome. At a range of 150m or so I saw a Sparrow Hawk and it was obviously chasing something pretty hard. It came closer and I could see that it was pursuing a Meadow Pipit. The little bird did it's level best but as it flew towards me the Hawk snatched it from just above the ground and the rest as they say was history. The same bird will be making life tough for the wild Grey partridges of which there are quite a few pairs. A few times I've had to stop myself from shooting a spar by mistake when it's coming in on set wings to investigate the pattern! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old'un Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 A few times I've had to stop myself from shooting a spar by mistake when it's coming in on set wings to investigate the pattern! Yes.....its easy to mistake them for a pigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 (edited) The swifts turned up here a few weeks ago, skitting across the river's surface and adjoining flood meadows. Hope they brought some woolly sweaters with them, has been nippy overnight here too in the last couple of weeks with frost on the cars etc. Sure they won't complain about the forecast for the next few days, shorts and flip flops being dusted off I think! Nice sighting of the sparrowhawk. Tough old thing, nature. I've never seen a wild sparrowhawk hunt/attack myself, they are extremely rare in these parts, only a few knocking about. However there are more Red Kites than you can shake a ****ty stick at. Someone in the village near our shoot must put food out for them because they circle above a certain back garden. One of our guns lives in sight of this, he counted over 40 Red Kites in the air at the same time one day! I swear we'll be culling them soon. Edited May 4, 2016 by Jim Neal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbower Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 We regularly see a Sparrow Hawk in our archery club woodland. He dives through and takes a tree creeper or two. a day. Its going to be a baking hot weekend , that's why they are back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 The swifts turned up here a few weeks ago, skitting across the river's surface and adjoining flood meadows. Hope they brought some woolly sweaters with them, has been nippy overnight here too in the last couple of weeks with frost on the cars etc. Sure they won't complain about the forecast for the next few days, shorts and flip flops being dusted off I think! Nice sighting of the sparrowhawk. Tough old thing, nature. I've never seen a wild sparrowhawk hunt/attack myself, they are extremely rare in these parts, only a few knocking about. However there are more Red Kites than you can shake a ****ty stick at. Someone in the village near our shoot must put food out for them because they circle above a certain back garden. One of our guns lives in sight of this, he counted over 40 Red Kites in the air at the same time one day! I swear we'll be culling them soon. I am just down the road from you Jim and there are PLENTY of sparrowhawks hunting my garden (one female, two males) and on every visit to my farms I always see them hunting the hedgerows. I put a dead pigeon up on a stick in my garden, broken wings flapping, and very soon after a large female sparrowhawk hit it hard and dragged it off to eat! Saved some of my blackbirds becoming dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Indeed, I have seen plenty around Ringstead. I am just down the road from you Jim and there are PLENTY of sparrowhawks hunting my garden (one female, two males) and on every visit to my farms I always see them hunting the hedgerows. I put a dead pigeon up on a stick in my garden, broken wings flapping, and very soon after a large female sparrowhawk hit it hard and dragged it off to eat! Saved some of my blackbirds becoming dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Sparrow Hawk is patrolling the gardens for swallows and house martins where I live in a modern housing development, very adaptable, all three species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurchers Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Sparrow Hawk is patrolling the gardens for swallows and house martins where I live in a modern housing development, very adaptable, all three species. A sparrow hawk can't catch house martins or swallows you will need a hobby for them.the only thing the sparrow hawk will be catching around yours is song birds and pigeons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted May 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 A sparrow hawk can't catch house martins or swallows you will need a hobby for them.the only thing the sparrow hawk will be catching around yours is song birds and pigeons. Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harpoonlouis Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Haven't seen the sparrow hawk make a kill in a while, last few were songbirds off a feeder which is now gone. The martins and swallows are just sharing the same space then but not prey for this bird, interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurchers Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Haven't seen the sparrow hawk make a kill in a while, last few were songbirds off a feeder which is now gone. The martins and swallows are just sharing the same space then but not prey for this bird, interesting Nothing interesting just stating fact 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul taylor Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 I got a surprise last Saturday seeing a Harris Hawk flying around near Cottam power station. Guessing it liked its freedom so much it never went home. Was there Monday too, just happens to be hanging around where there are loads of Rabbit burrows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Guess I'm just not eagle eyed enough then! Only ever notice one now and again, maybe they don't like hanging around in the same places I do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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