What is this bird? 16 May 2022 at 7:57PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 18 replies 644 views

Money_Grabber13579

This bird has just made a visit to my garden - anyone know what it is?  I'm useless at identifying birds and I can't decide if it's any of the birds of prey shown on the RSPB website as they all look slightly different (to me)!  All I do know is that it's not any of the two types of common birds in my garden, being wood pigeons and starlings!

Archie_Duke

It’s a rather impressive-looking Sparrowhawk, nice catch!

Money_Grabber13579

Archie_Duke said:

It’s a rather impressive-looking Sparrowhawk, nice catch!

Thank you!  I'm amazed I even saw it, never mind getting a picture of it!

greyteam1959

Wait until you see it eating a small bird alive.
Then you might change your opinion of it.
Lovely picture though.

twopenny

Wow what a great photo!

Yes, well, gardens with bird boxes and bird tables are our equivelent of fast food.

You might want to make an umbrella type cover if you have bird feeders.

I must get a budgie ladder to errect against mine to stop the seagulls taking the whole fat block and cage from the table.

Money_Grabber13579

greyteam1959 said:

Wait until you see it eating a small bird alive.
Then you might chang your opinion of it.
Lovely picture though.

I guess it's just following instinct... I did see a magpie fly off quickly after the sparrow hawk flew away but perhaps it would be after smaller birds than that?

Money_Grabber13579

twopenny said:

Wow what a great photo!

Yes, well, gardens with bird boxes and bird tables are our equivelent of fast food.

You might want to make an umbrella type cover if you have bird feeders.

I must get a budgie ladder to errect against mine to stop the seagulls taking the whole fat block and cage from the table.

I haven't got any bird food out at the moment (due to me being badly organised) but there is a hedge at the back of the garden and I suspect there may be birds nesting in that - which is right beside where the sparrow hawk was siting.  I'm in two minds as to what to do if I see it again i.e. scare it off or let it be.

Tahlullah.H

Let it be, it has to eat.

Archie_Duke

@Money_Grabber13579 Garden birds have plenty of natural food sources at the moment, water is probably their biggest need at the moment.  I suspect Northern Ireland, a bit like Cornwall, has no shortage of naturally occurring water at the moment though!

Money_Grabber13579

Archie_Duke said:

@Money_Grabber13579 Garden birds have plenty of natural food sources at the moment, water is probably their biggest need at the moment.  I suspect Northern Ireland, a bit like Cornwall, has no shortage of naturally occurring water at the moment though!

Absolutely! The fresh water supply is replenished from the sky virtually every day!

MalMonroe

greyteam1959 said:

Wait until you see it eating a small bird alive.
Then you might chang your opinion of it.
Lovely picture though.

Well birds are their main food source, and not just small ones either. One day last year I was horrified to see three magpies attacking a poor little blackbird. Tried to save it but was not successful. It's just nature to them but awful to see.

Not the sparrowhawk's fault. Just what they do.