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Red in tooth & claw....for sure.

It looks like one less Blackbird!
 
Nice set. I don't know this birds ID for certain, I'm really not familiar with them, but I'm guessing it's a sparrow hawk???
 
K9Kirk said:
Nice set. I don't know this birds ID for certain, I'm really not familiar with them, but I'm guessing it's a sparrow hawk???
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Yes, it is a Sparrow Hawk

AFAIK only likely raptor to be seen with prey in UK gardens......as we have seen over the years. In our cases, it was taking Collared Doves and even a Wood Pigeon.

Though I think on one occasion it took on a flyby a Blue Tit!

IMO having a Sparrow Hawk around is s sign of a healthy bird population, afteral you only get an apex predator where there is (it's) food.
 
Bebop said:
@Box Brownie I've seen them take a wood pigeon in my garden too - dragged it into the hedge - couldn't lift it!
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Yes, a wood Pigeon is too much to carry away whole....once it was disturbed and failed to return. I ended up having to bury the remains in the garden.

Collared Doves on the other hand, once plucked they get carried off.
 
artyman said:
I've seen one fly off with a wood pigeon from my garden
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I wonder whether it was a female because AFAIK they are that bit larger (and stronger) than the Male?
 
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artyman said:
I've seen one fly off with a wood pigeon from my garden
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Yes, it can fly off with woodie. Female Sparrowhawk. Flew off with one of my bantams in the past, but she escaped and came back (as I’ve told before) — somehow the hen was on her back so could engage her feet I guess.
 
Around here (20 miles east of Stansted Airport) we have a pair of sparrowhawks. Male seems to like starlings and female (much bigger bird) takes wood pigeons. Having said that, we've other raptors too, buzzards galore and, recently, a pair of ofkites. Two types of owls too, tawny and barn (although I haven't seen the barn owls this year). I tend not to see the tawnys either but they make a hell of a racket in the trees!

Oh and great captures OP
 
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