There is a Sparrowhawk in my garden! Should I stop feeding small birds?

[theothermarg]

Thankyou I havn't seen it again and now feel very lucky to have seen such a beautiful bird so close to my window
marg

[tonybloke]

lovely photos of a female sparrow hawk! we regularly get a male cruising through the housing estate, occasionally taking a blackbird or pigeon.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I saw that female again today. Hope she stays around!

[Debs]

We have a sparrowhawk that visits our garden now & then, and it has just swooped past the fence - so no doubt it will find a nearby spot to watch its prey before it swoops.
We have a hard frost today and its -3 in Whitley Bay, so the feeders have been filled.
I'm sitting in the conservatory, cup of tea in hand, listening to all the bird chatter in the garden.
So far, robins, blackbirds, bluetits, collared dove, pigeon, magpie & sparrows have visited the bird table
Wonder who's on the sparrowhawk menu

Debs

[theothermarg]

lovely photos of a female sparrow hawk! we regularly get a male cruising through the housing estate, occasionally taking a blackbird or pigeon.

ah so it's a female ! meant to try to "sex" it but havn't got around it. still no sign of it. but we are by a very busy path and I do fear for the Goldfinches
marg

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's easy to tell. The male is brighter and smaller, a bit bigger than a blackbird. The female is duller and pigeon-sized. The size of the prey differs in proportion; if it kills a pigeon, say, it has to be a female.

[Rallychef]

Lovely pisc Marg, we had a sparrowhawk take a woodpigeon during the summer, she has been back a few times but does not seem to target the smaller birds we have at the feeders.
great to watch but the feathers took some clearing up afterwards

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/Rallychef/Sparrowhawk/

regards Ian

[star]

Great pics Marg and Rallychef

I don't like our songbirds being killed and eaten either....but the raptors need to eat as well. It would be more acceptable if only the pigeons were caught, as there's so many of them.

But it is nature, at least predators kill to live.....not live to kill.

[theothermarg]

Lovely pisc Marg, we had a sparrowhawk take a woodpigeon during the summer, she has been back a few times but does not seem to target the smaller birds we have at the feeders.
great to watch but the feathers took some clearing up afterwards

http://s269.photobucket.com/albums/jj74/Rallychef/Sparrowhawk/

regards Ian

thanks I enjoyed yours too. it's so good to have pics to help the memory don't you think? I didn't have any clearing up to do. As well as it being a smaller bird it was a very windy day and all I found was a little beak!
marg