Tuesday 15 January 2008

Not surprisingly I didn't get out today. It was blowing a gale, and chucking it down! As I sat looking at the garden, suddenley a stuggle for life took place. The male SPARROWHAWK had grabbed a male BLACKBIRD, the brave songster struggled and shouted, but to no avail, the accipiter had got its talons in too far. The mis-match carried on for some minutes, the prey fighting till it became exhausted, the victor flew off to eat his reward, but dropped it further up the garden, where he decided to eat it.. The pics below are just the showable ones, and even they are of poor quality, they were taken through a small opening in the window, which I inched open, the wind and rain were belting through, making it impossible to keep the camera still! You can still get the gist of was going on though.
Note the metal ring, its the same bird as seen Previously























Its all over








The Blackbird gives up the fight







Gotcha!!








The Fight continues









The Sparrowhawk ''Shields'' his Prey With His Wings. He knows there is also a female about, and she will rob him, given the chance









3 comments:

Steve said...

Nice pictures of the Sparrowhawk Warren.....

Kingsdowner said...

Great work Warren - although I think that the reason you keep filling up the feeders is to attract victims for your hawks!

Warren Baker said...

Hey steve of kingsdown, thats not so! If you want, next time we net the sparrowhawk, we'll bring it down to your end! Seriously though I have tried all sorts to make its visits less productive. One winter I had bed sheets stretched out across his preferred flight path, it worked to a degree. Strangely, the only time he seems to give my garden a miss, is when the female is around.