Sparrowhawk attack!

[Nicos]

My OH was just in the kitchen looking out of our window watching about 8 bluetits on our peanut feeder placed about a foot away from the window.

Suddenly a sparrowhawk flew past grabbing a bluetit off the feeder!

We've seen a few around here, but mostly grabbing sparrows nicking the hen food.

How agile not to crash into the wall/ window too!

[Jeanied]

They are amazing - and chilling!

[Jay-ell]

So the next time you mention you're been feeding the birds, we're going to have to ask what have you been feeding them to.

[lottie dolly]

Nature at work i suspect,unless it's eye sight not very good,and thought the blue tit gang was 1 bird,until it got nearer,then said to it's self oh well,waste not ext.....

[Verinda]

We have sparrow hawks here, they speed through our trees like little jets. My brother has a rooftop garden in London, one day he saw a sparrow hawk gulping down a bird from his feeder. He was so horrified he stopped feeding the birds after that. He used to have a green woodpecker on his feeder too.

[Vince G]

My dad has an aviary of canaries and the local sparrowhawk is a regular visitor. It can't get at the canaries, but it sits on the top of the aviary looking in, licking his beak.....

[Kirk]

I recall looking up at my roof one day and seeing one sat there looking at me.
My only words were: Don't even think about it!

He sat there watching me for quite some time.
I really dislike being considered potential food.

[Gillykat]

They are amazing - and chilling!

Couldn't agree more! When we first moved to the Northumberland countryside from urban Tyneside in 2004 we lived in a hilltop cottage and I had loads of feeders in the garden. We occasionally saw a Sparrowhawk and on one memorable occasion we were driving our car up the hill to the cottage and for about 100 yards a female flew level with us....and I have NEVER forgotten those amazing eyes.....nor the feeling that here indeed was a number one predator! I was definitely glad I was not a small bird!!!

A lot of folk (who should know better!) up here hate seeing Buzzards and Sparrowhawks but they're all part of the balance of Nature

[Madasafish]

Pictures of one in our front lawn eating a pigeon in 2008..

One -with a pigeon - crashed into our garage doors when I was painting them. The pigeon flew away. Bird looked at me in disgust before flying away...