Friday 18 November 2011

An Unwelcome Visitor

Another Friday without any new flicks. The video camera was just in the wrong position this morning. Earlier in the week I had added a platform to the Birdy Bistro for those birds which prefer to stand on a flat surface to eat. That meant I could spread out the seed to give better chances for photography. It got better than I anticipated this morning. Soon after a hoard of Starlings had flown in for an early breakfast they all disappeared and a larger shape landed on the platform. It was the local Sparrowhawk. A magnificent bird to look at but a most unwelcome visitor for those who had been enjoying their seeds. It was unfortunate that it took up a position behind the wires which lead to the lights which illuminate the Hedgehog feeding area but for the final photo below I did clone them out with judicious use of the Wireworm plugin.

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk

Even after the Sparrowhawk had departed it was at least 20 minutes before any of the small birds returned.

4 comments:

  1. What a beauty she is. Better looking than a Starling, not to the starlings though.
    I assume it is a she.

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  2. Adrian: Looked even better in the flesh so to speak. Yes, pretty sure it is a she.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a beauty John.
    Looking at the rufous colouring round the cheek, I'd hazard a guess at a male.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Keith: Having rechecked and looked through the 'All Things Sparrowhawk' group photos on Flickr I think you are correct, a male Sparrowhawk. The first male I have seen in the garden.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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