The sparrowhawks return
Male sparrowhawk perched and scanning the road verge.
The day after my walk to the badger sett I was making a coffee for my flask, getting ready to go see if I could spot the sparrowhawk, looking out the kitchen window when there was a large bird crashing into the garden hedge then coming to rest on a big bit of scots pine branch I have tied to the fence, The female sparrowhawk had arrived in style, I hadn’t even unlocked the cottage door yet and the window was a bit steamy from the kitchens going ons but I grabbed the camera and started shooting, it stayed for a few minutes scanning the garden then the hedge, then staring at me, it gives its plumage a good shaking and then flys off over the hedge and across the lower fields, it knows the garden feeding station is in full vigour and that there is a good supply of small birds, and I know it’ll be back again.
With the pics from through the kitchen window not very good quality I decide to set up the hide in the garden, its only 15ft or so away from the perch and hedge and will provide a much better photo, I set it up and get comfortable, I could be in for a long wait, the hours pass and nothing happens although I soon discover how the fat ball feeder is being emptied so quickly, its being attacked by a group of long tailed tits, up to seven at a time, more time passes and still no sparrowhawk, with fading light and a rapidly increasing ISO I decide to call it a day, leaving the hide up for tomorrow.
The next day after being on a shopping trip with her ladyship indoors I return to the hide, I sit down and get the camera ready, pop my feet up on a bit of log and prepare to wait, but it didn’t take long, seven minutes to be exact, and the hawk flew in over the hide and into the top of the hedge, searching in among the branches and deeper down, then popping itself on top to have a good look around, but it only lasted for a few minutes before it flew off again, it didn’t return but I could here it in the distance, it will return again so I will get more pics of it, not sure what number of them there are around here but its something i’m going to look into, but for now i’m just glad to see them back and happy to have gotten a few good pics of them so early this year.
stunning yellow eyes give this hawk a deathly stare.
Taking advantage of a break in the somewhat constant rain we’ve been having I went on a walk to check on one of the local badger setts, and as per usual when not after a certain animal to photograph they turn up in force just to rub it in, hares, deer, buzzards etc the usual suspects, then as I was passing a row of young trees a bird flew out straight in front of me, nearly removing my glasses, I heard the whoosh of its wings as it went past, turning round I followed it and at first thought it was a pigeon but its tail feathers were straight back and narrow, its wings slightly curved with finger ends, Its a Sparrowhawk!!, I remove the camera from the tripod and moved down the field to try get a photo of it, it was perched high and scanning the road verge for food, but it turned its head round and spotted me, looked the other way then took off, but I was really happy to see one this early as we don’t usually see them till late march early April.
Female sparrowhawk checking out the garden feeding station.
pop up hides are great for garden photography.
waiting…
