Hawk in my garden!

[Eric_Methven]

Val called me excitedly this afternoon and said there was a big bird eating a little bird on the hedge just outside our back window.

I grabbed the camera and snapped this.

Once I was sure it wasn't going to fly straight off, I put on the big lens and took loads more. Here's just a couple.

I'm crap at bird ID. Anyone identify it for me?
Anyway, it proceeded to rip apart a young sparrow that has a nest in the hedge it was standing on. It didn't shift for a good ten minutes - until it had eaten every last bit. Then it looked around for more, didn't find any, had a poo and flew off.
I thought it might have been a sparrow hawk, but I was always under the impression they were quite small. This one was rather large - kestrel maybe? I dunno. I just know it was hungry.
Eric

 

[British Red]

Sparrowhawk Eric (adult male I think) - lovely photos too!

Red

Edit to say - they get to be about a foot in length with a 2 foot 6 wingspan

 

[falcon]

Looks like an immature sparrowhawk as the barring on the chest isn't properly formed. A kestrel would be smaller......Fantastic pics

 

[JonathanD]

Great shots. Definately a juvenile Sparrowhawk. Did you get to identify the catch?

 

[scanker]

The id's above are spot on for me - even the appropriate prey!

Superb photos Eric, you're very privileged to get such a top view.

 

[BorderReiver]

Fantastic pictures Eric.

It's not often that you get such a clear view.

SWMBO made me stop putting seed on an open bird table when we had the same thing happen.

All the seeds are now in feeders hanging in the trees.

BTW,hope you are recovering well.

 

[ArkAngel]

Beautiful shots,

We get a Sparrowhawk quite often in our garden and when in full hunting mode they are stunning to watch. Like Eric they can use our fence posts to perch on but i have yet to be fast enough to grab my camera.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Wow !! Great pic's

 

[British Red]

SWMBO made me stop putting seed on an open bird table when we had the same thing happen.

All the seeds are now in feeders hanging in the trees.

BTW,hope you are recovering well.

Naah - we scatter it around . Mostly get sparrowhawks and buzzards (who eat rats coming in from the fields after the grain this time of year) but now and again a peregrine which is truly magical. They can all have all the sparrows they want

Never got a pic as nice as Erics though

Red

 

[morch]

Great photos mate. A couple of years ago i saw a sparrowhawk take out a dove that was busy feeding on my dad's lawn, an amazing site, that is until my mother banged on the window and scared it away

Hope you're feeling better mate

Dave

 

[timtom1]

brilliant photo's!!! I want a spar (not the shop) in my backgarden