As soon as this heron saw me, he decided to take off. Fortunately, I had my camera at the ready and managed to get this. I had seen him flying over the main lake and heading towards the Finger Lakes which is why I went looking for him.
It was sad this morning because Steve called me outside to show me that a lovely thrush who visits every morning to eat the sultanas and suet pellets on the sundial was laying dead in the garden. The poor bird had been beheaded. I felt really sad as this is 2 birds in 2 days that we have lost.
Great catch. What is going on with this beheading thing - we have had two beheaded doves. There are cats around but I'm not sure they would do that? Sparrow hawks?
@rosiekind Oh - just mentioned this on your other pic - apparently they will take the head first and eat the brain which is very nutritious :0( and then come back for the rest unless they are disturbed or something else gets it. Poor thrush - a bit sad about pigeons but more about thrushes!
@judithg I wondered whether it could have been a sparrow hawk as I've seen one in the garden before but Steve thought that the sparrow hawk would have eaten the thrush rather than leave it behind.