L00b Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Photo here, taken last Saturday in my back garden. S81 location. Be interested to hear what bird of prey this is, and to find out what are its habits, as -by the context- this was one brazen SoB: don't know about you/yours but, even built like that, I wouldn't swoop down to pick a patterdale's half-finished bone..when the patterdale is sleeping in the sun, in full sight of it, less than 20 yards from it The dog didn't see the funny side of it. Rest assured, the bird escaped alive and cleanly. Just Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsnevereasy Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 It's a sparrowhawk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Yep sparrowhawk. Nice visitor and well done for getting the shot off before the dog wised up. Saw one exploding out of the hedge next to Empire News once, hauling a pigeon carcass into the sky leaving a trail of feathers like a rocket plume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L00b Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thx much, will be reading up about them I actually had a good couple of minutes before the dog came out of its slumber, from the ruffle of feathers. Photo is unfortunately not best, due to (i) phone and (ii) through kitchen window (before we cleaned them ). It came as a complete surprise, as our garden is quite enclosed (executive-type estate), we rarely get any birds landing (dog, and plenty of cats around before we got the dog), and I'd have thought the sparrowhawk would have clocked the black dog on the decking right beside the bone and would have "thought better of it", but hey and whatnot. Must have been hungry, or an avian adrenaline junkie Admittedly, the estate is very green and bordered by fields and a bit of woods, so there's plenty of very diverse wildlife about - just never that close to the houses/gardens. I'm sure I keep clocking that "giant eagle from Rotherham" nearby when I walk the dog, as it is definitely an eagle ('fingertips' wings) and it looks to be the size of a small donkey (well, at least from afar). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsnevereasy Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Sparrowhawks are incredibly fearless, persistent, or just plain mental when they have quarry within their grasp, very little will stop them once they are set on a kill. I've seen them go through hawthorn hedges in pursuit of prey. ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donky7 Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 these birds are becoming more regular to domestic gardens, simply because more and more folk are applying bird feed, this attracts the smaller birds which the hawks predate on. mother nature at its best. keep the camera handy for next 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 3I'm sure I keep clocking that "giant eagle from Rotherham" nearby when I walk the dog, as it is definitely an eagle ('fingertips' wings) and it looks to be the size of a small donkey (well, at least from afar). Could that not simply be a buzzard? http://www.nature-shetland.co.uk/naturelatest/pics08/honey-buzzard-web-2.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L00b Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 No, I'm very familiar with buzzards (tons of them in France around my neck of the woods, for years and years) and it's definitely not a buzzard. I'm always too far to make out the markings clearly (though clearly not those of the pix you linked, no 'transversal stripes'), and I never have my b*%#@ camera when I see it, but there's a lot of white (bright/snow-like) underneath. I can approximate the size from where it lands then takes off (I pass by the 'landing site' on my walk track), and I'd say it's a good 16 to 18 inches when 'sat' (going by hedge & fence post markings). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 If it's an eagle, it's a very small one at 18 inches. Or a juvenile, but that would entail a breeding pair and the birding fraternity would be in a flap about that by now. I'll ask what it could be. The picture I've posted is a honey buzzard, I notice. If what you saw was a buzzard it wouldn't be one of those, but a common one. But it's the right size for a buzzard at least. What configuration does the tail take in flight? I know a leading ornithologist, I'll ask him instead of speculating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L00b Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 (edited) If it's an eagle, it's a very small one at 18 inches. Or a juvenile, but that would entail a breeding pair and the birding fraternity would be in a flap about that by now.Bear in mind that's guesstimated from afar It looks 'big' (very) compared to other local/regular birds of prey (one of which being that sparrowhawk, which is downright puny compared to it). The picture I've posted is a honey buzzard, I notice. If what you saw was a buzzard it wouldn't be one of those, but a common one.I did think buzzards were much darker in colour (dark brown, nearly black) than in that photo, and a fair bit larger than a crow, so was wondering if you were just testing me But it's the right size for a buzzard at least. What configuration does the tail take in flight?Fan-like, mostly. Difficult to tell when it's soaring (too high/far). EDIT - be easier still for me to (make a point of-) try and snap it next time I see it, and I'll make a note to PM you with a linky to my Photobucket as and when I've succeeded Edited March 13, 2012 by L00b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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