Working from home today, back issues are still not permitting me to drive.
Stood at the kitchen window making a coffee, camera in hand, watching and trying to photograph the baby Blue Tits and Great Tits attempting to eat from the feeder, the baby Dunnocks on the bird bath, the house sparrows on the seed feeders, when suddenly all hell let loose; small birds flying everywhere and anywhere with 'something big' screaming through the trees and shrubs. All this took place in around a minute and then the 'something big' settled on the fence to survey the mayhem and chaos 'it' had caused.
That 'something big' was a female Sparrowhawk. Reputed to be one of the most efficient of the UK raptors, the female is far larger than the male of the species.
I've seen her sat in the garden before, but never been quick enough to get my camera to capture her; we've also seen the remnants of her successful hunting - pigeon feathers all over the lawn. This is the first time she has sat still for long enough to allow me to capture her.
It would seem that my putting food out for the passerine birds that frequent our garden is effectively putting food out for her also (live food). That’s Mother Nature I guess
You can read more about the Sparrowhawk, if you have the time and inclination can be read here
Fabulous shot - extremely well caught. We have some round here but not seen them recently - resulting in more of the smaller variety. We have never had so many different varieties in our garden. Just had a Goldcrest this weekend land on our bench where we were sitting - so lucky. Love seeing all birds so really in a quandary when I see the sparrowhawk. Want her to eat - but want them to get away too. The wonders of nature eh!
Great capture - Fav I once stood in the garden about to photograph a goldfinch when a sparrowhawk grabbed it in front of my eyes. It had the poor little bird under it's foot on the ground as it did it's evil deed and I got some shots of this. As you say, it's nature and they all have to be fed!
@henrir@fbailey I've seen her closeup, but never with the camera in my hand before. She's really quite gorgeous (despite what she does with the smaller birds)
Hope your back is better soon.
@rosiekind @mandygravil Mother Nature can be so cruel; I am definatley inviting more ot the finches and tits into the garden with the feed I put out, so in turn I'm telling the sparrowhawk "hey, there's the food you like in here too" I actually think she didn't catch anything yesterday, but I don't know