Classic British Flight Sim

Sat down for lunch today and there was a "bang" on the window and a lot of squawking. Looked out on the back lawn and a Sparrowhawk was back.

Unfortunately, I'll be calling it a "Blackbirdhawk" from now on . The blackbird was clearly still alive at first because it tried to get away several times. Although tempting to go out and disturb the hawk, the blackbird may already have broken a wing flying into the window, and who knows what other injuries it had already sustained. So rather than facing a severely injured blackbird that was going to do to no avail, we let nature take its course.

I had to phone into a meeting at work and when it finished the hawk was still there - the time span of the photos is over 90 minutes. Clearly the kill was more than the hawk could manage so it flew away with the carcase to finish later. Not been out to inspect the murder site yet.

Photos below:

Just happened:




Change of lens:


90 minutes later:


The culprit leaves with the body:


The evidence:

I know it always seems harsh, but remember the Blackbird also kills every day. If you take into account what it eats it kills more than the Sparrowhawk. I always leave them to finish the prey off because if you try to save it they are usually fatally imjured, and the Sparrowhawk goes off and kills something else. Cracking bird though and good piccies. Nice adult male.

PS. A friend of mine had a Sparrowhawk that used to approach from a certain angle deliberately driving the birds into his lounge window. They are not stupid!

Simon

Thanks for confirming my thoughts that the blackbird was fatally injured and something else would have been hunted instead.

So could this have been the same one on Saturday trying to find a sparrow in that hedge?



And the blackbird had probably dined on stale wholemeal bread and very ripe goat's cheese for its final supper - that was on the bird table menu this morning.

Ian

Looks like it's humping it in the first photos

Wish I had one here, to get rid of the fat pigeons that keep stealing all the food put for the song birds.

I think a pigeon might be a bit much for one of these!

Interesting that Simon identified the hawk as a male - and I agree but the females are larger and have the reputation for tackling blackbirds. Either this guy was hungry or just feeling macho. My final sighting of him with the carcase was into some nearby trees. He wasn't flying far each time carrying that weight.

Ian

Nice shots mate.

Have you any more pics of stunning birds?

Great shots of A Sparrow hawk doing what it is designed to do. I really don't understand why people frighten these magnificent birds off a kill. As has already been stated the prey item is likely to be fatally wounded and the spar is also on a knife edge. If they waste a huge amount of energy in a kill like this then have to leave without feeding it burns up a serious amount of energy they cant replace. The thing is if you put up feeders for small birds you are essentially putting up a drive through restaurant for sparrow hawks. I find watching birds of prey some of the best wildlife moments I've ever seen. I am however a bit biased as I am a regular volunteer at the Hawk Conservancy Trust near Andover. A blackbird is a fairly good prey item for a male I guess but a female is more than capable of taking a pigeon.

I'd say the second one is a female note it has browner upperparts and is significantly larger than the male.

Richard

I reckon we saw something pretty unusual today - all our neighbours were at work so they would not have had the opportunity. We've found small piles of feathers (and a beak!) before when a sparrow was the target but witnessing this was amazing/devastating all in one go.

The concept of the "poor blackbird" is a result of townies (such as me) being allowed to live in the country where life and death amongst the animals and birds happens every day. The fact we have sparrowhawks around here is a result of the healthy small bird population which is a consequence of bird feeders, etc. And as my wife pointed out, some cat could have killed this blackbird for fun, not for survival.

And each time we see a sparrowhawk, it is always time for the cameras to come out - magnificent birds. I ended up taken 84 shots today - my wife took some video which is a bit too gruesome to post.

Ian

Well it is what it is, nature. I rather like the face shot you got of it.

Looks a bit like Robert De Niro ...."You looking at me?"

Outstanding photography Ian

airboatr wrote:Well it is what it is, nature.

Yep. The other day at work I saw a hawk swoop down on an unsuspecting little bird. There was a big puff of feathers and I assumed it was the end for that little bird. I guess all of God's creature's gotta eat.

Brian