Sparrowhawk

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 We have garden bird feeders which we keep well stocked. We have the usual collection of small birds but every now and then we have a visit from a sparrowhawk.

Sparrowhawk along with Buzzards are the most common European raptor but it is always exciting to see one. We are mostly commonly visited by a male with a slate grey back and a reddish tinge to the breast. The birds appear out of now where, catch a small bird and cause pandemonium around the feeders and then fly a short distance (30m) to a secluded perch to deal with their prey. These incidents are more common a times of low light intensity.



During a sparrowhawk attack other birds either flee or freeze in situ hoping to go un noticed. We have observed a nuthatch remain motionless for over 5 mins after a sparrowhawk attack and have even seen a red squirrel behaving similarly.
There is sexual dimorphism in sparrow hawks, the female being much bigger with a browner colouration. The two sexes hunt slightly different prey, the males being faster and more agile.
A pair of these birds often nests in the trees beyond our bog meadow and in the summer we hear the characteristic "kwekkwekkwek" calls of the birds around the nest.











Diary Notes
Very cold last night. Minus 6. On a walk today saw buzzard, a hare, and most unexpectedly a red grouse perched on a wall near Kirkby Stephen that allowed me to get close enough to take this photo with my phone.
Three camera traps overnight yielded nothing but rabbits.


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