Brown Hawk Down

It often swoops by on its rounds, but this morning the sparrowhawk (this one appears to be a large brownish female), lands on our shepherd's crook feeding station. The goldfinches, tits and sparrows have made themselves scarce.

For the sparrowhawk our feeders must be the equivalent of a drive-through fast-food takeaway, the double shepherd's crook an equivalent of the MacDonalds' Golden Arches. It looks like bird of prey at a falconry centre, sitting comfortably on its perch, surveying the scene.

Kiss them both goodbye

A week ago today, I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I saw two birds on the rooftop opposite. I was trying to make them into two pied wagtails (a common rooftop bird) but I couldn't and eventually called Barbara and we took a look through binoculars.

They were lovebirds belonging to a neighbour a few doors down. We went down and reported them a being out and about. They'd escaped from a cage which had been hung out in the sun in front of the house.

'We can kiss those goodbye then!' said the neighbour.

With the frosts we've had since I would doubt if these two would have survived; unless they found good shelter and the food they need on one of the many well-stocked bird tables.

There again, the sparrowhawk might have enjoyed an exotic change in it's takeaway diet this week . . .

Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk