I saw a Sparrowhawk take a Sparrow today. I'm not sure if it was one of the adults or one of the many young fledging over the last few days.
There were a lot of Starlings giving off so I watched, like I always do, tosee what the Sparrowhawk was up to. In a flash it was past a very large leylandii in a neighbours garden and flew onto a nearby roof to pluck the bird. The Starlings went ape at this point and dozens gathered to give off. A Jackdaw started to bomb the 'hawk but it took a Hooded Crow to actually attack and chase off the 'hawk. there was lots of aerial manouvers going on. there was an eerie silence after it had gone including the young sparrows. then all of a suddens someone flicked the volume switch back on. I dis notice later one of my own birds had died so the 'hawk must have been trying to get my birds. my bird died from head injuries from hitting the wire. They usually know to go into the shed when the Starlings give the alarm but this one must have been too slow.
Nature is red in tooth and claw
What a thing to witness!
A year or so ago my mother was sitting indoors looking out into her garden when a sparrowhawk flicked over the fence and took a blackbird right in front of her.
I think the most interesting thing I've seen along the lines of predators in action were stoats dancing in front of rabbits and then going in for the kill. I've been lucky enough to see this twice - first in the Yorkshire Dales and then in Kent on the marshes
Which of your birds did you lose? :(
the most expensive one at £250 which is always the way. any bird man or fish keeper will tell you that it's not the cheap fish/birds that die/escape
That's the strangest name/description of a bird I've ever seen.......
OK it was a lutino Princess of Wales.
I know it's nature,but I still hate it.
I was sat at my table the other morning, and right behind me is a row of bird feeders,and the birds were busy chattering and feeding . Then there was a frantic commotion ...then silence. When I turned round , there on the fence sat a sparrowhawk..literraly glaring at me..i think he thought I'd lost him his lunch!!..It sat there for a couple of seconds, then he was off.
Like you said ,there was absolute silence.All the birds had managed to hide in the tangle of clematis that surronds my patio.then after a couple of minutes, one by one they flew off,and normal vision resumed.
We dont get sparrowhawks around here very often though I have seen them taking sparrows here. Its the tawny owls that I feel sorry for. Or rather one in particular in the wood next to my plot. During the day the birds mob him ruthlessly when he is trying to have a kip. You can always tell where he is by the sound the birds are making. Sometimes it gets so much he flys out of the wood and comes and sits on the tree on my plot. He always seems to look to me as if to say "I am really sick of this!" before disappearing again. I feel really sorry of him. I feel like shouting 'for goodness sake let him have some rest' LOL mind you come nighttime I expect he gets his own back !!
actually mark I quite fancy getting a couple of birds. At present i have a budgie but would love to get a pair of lovebirds or something. Would you know what to recommend?
Lovebirds are very noisy when they get going and DONT live up to their name. Females can be very nasty to their mates when you do get a pair. I would recommend any of the Grass parakeets especially Bourkes or Tourquoisines (?spelling)abbreviated to Turks.
Sue what about the Aphids and Slugs we kill every year?
I know Mark, I'm just squeemish at heart!!..I must confess I throw my snails from the front garden in to the road.Let the cars and birds do the work that I can't ..There's no way that I could stand on something and squish it...eeuugh..The bravest I've been is picking off lily beetles and throwing them in the pond for my fish.
Im with you sueone. I can kill slugs easily enough but with snail!!! noway. I through them in the waterbutt, though I bet the little bu$$ers can swim!!!!!