Sparrow Hawks

[rossub]

A pair have set up home somewhere not far away and now we’re absolutely under siege. At first it was a bombing raid to the feeders that are under a shelter a couple of times a day, but in recent weeks it’s just become relentless.

Most of time they are unsuccessful, but after seeing 2 of ‘my’ Goldfinches wiped out, I couldn’t just let them continue to swoop in. I set up a green wire mesh cage (holes 100mm x 75mm) around the feeders and it’s made a massive difference, but I fear a summer of heartache ahead!!

Apparently it’s a sign of a healthy local bird population… well yeah that’s because of my feeders! But it won’t be healthy for long with these bloody things.

Amazing as they are, it’s difficult to feel sympathy for them needing to eat.

I would take a picture on my set up, but it’s raining for a change.

[Boosted LS1]

If you put out a platter then what do you expect? I feel your pain though so any obstructions to the exocet missile will help or offer more cover to the feeding birds so they can escape perhaps? Tricky one.

[rossub]

More of an observational post, as opposed to a cry for help

[Lotobear]

Ruthless buggers that they are!

I once watched this when I was surveying a college building, checked in later and the breasts of the poor starling had been surgically excised - sad to see and hear but nature red in tooth and claw and all that. Classic 'mantling' of its prey in evidence

[rossub]

I’m amazed they’re not going for the Wood Pigeons.

The dopey buggers just sit there while all the commotion is going on and they’re hardly going to fight back. Collared Doves here too… reckon the female would take them, but it’s mostly the male I’m seeing.

[98elise]

rossub said:

I’m amazed they’re not going for the Wood Pigeons.

The dopey buggers just sit there while all the commotion is going on and they’re hardly going to fight back. Collared Doves here too… reckon the female would take them, but it’s mostly the male I’m seeing.

We have (or had) a group of wood pigeons that frequented my garden.

Then a sparrow hawk arrived....

[Silvanus]

We occasionally have a pair hunt out the back and the female takes wood pigeons and sometimes magpies and jackdaws. Absolute privilege to watch them. Nature can appear brutal to us sometimes, but that's just how the natural world works.

[bigpriest]

Silvanus said:

We occasionally have a pair hunt out the back and the female takes wood pigeons and sometimes magpies and jackdaws. Absolute privilege to watch them. Nature can appear brutal to us sometimes, but that's just how the natural world works.

We carry on the tradition pretty well in our human environment.

One thing I notice about sparrowhawks is that they don't care about the attack location. Gardens, shopping precincts, schools, they just go for it regardless of how many people are around.

[dingg]

Far too many of them about nowadays, the likes of Packham promote them to the detriment of songbirds, its only going to get worse...

Why oh why are birds of prey more 'special' and, at the cost of any other variety of bird??

[AstonZagato]

dingg said:

Far too many of them about nowadays, the likes of Packham promote them to the detriment of songbirds, its only going to get worse...

Why oh why are birds of prey more 'special' and, at the cost of any other variety of bird??

I love seeing birds of prey but I think the pendulum has swung too far their way. Songbirds seem to be under extraordinary pressure over the last decade or so.
I think birds of prey are the species that are the best fundraisers for the RSPB and the RSPB is the most effective lobbying agency on the topic. They might even agree in private but they are never going to utter the words "raptor control" (even to protect red list species), as their funding would collapse.