The wonderful and sometimes cruel world of nature.

[Golfmmad]

Yesterday morning I was pegging out some washing, when I heard some commotion of squawking and screeching. I thought its a bit early for fledglings calling out for food!
I turned round and there on my lawn was a Sparrowhawk with his wings cowering over a Blackbird. We both froze looking at each other for a few seconds, he then carried on pecking art the poor bird!
Foolishly I thought, get my phone to take a pic, but as soon as I moved he took off with consummate ease, Blackbird still in its talons, to never be seen again!
I've never seen a bird of prey that close before - amazing!!

 

[ColchesterFC]

I saw one right outside our house last year. Was stood outside having an E-Cig and saw loads of birds flying in to the bushes opposite. A Sparrow hawk came along the street about head height and took out a pigeon that was heading for the bushes. Massive explosion of feathers and then took it to the ground doing the whole wing thing over it. Amazing to see it so close.

 

[Tashyboy]

I saw one right outside our house last year. Was stood outside having an E-Cig and saw loads of birds flying in to the bushes opposite. A Sparrow hawk came along the street about head height and took out a pigeon that was heading for the bushes. Massive explosion of feathers and then took it to the ground doing the whole wing thing over it. Amazing to see it so close.

This, I was stood on our drive the other year and heard a right thud I turned round and saw the biggest pile of feathers floating to the ground. looked about five yds to the right and a sparrow hawk had a pigeon. There was only one winner.
There’s a story on the news sites today where some fool has pulled a sock over a swans head and neck. Some days you could just scream.

 

[ColchesterFC]

I'm quite fortunate in my line of work that I've seen some incredible nature sights while getting paid for it. Was on a job between Scotland and Norway and saw a pod of around 15 killer whales that hung around the boat for a couple of hours. Have also seen massive pods of dolphins in the Irish Sea and pilot whales in the northern North Sea..






Also got to hand feed this young kestrel that got blown off course and ended up on our boat.

 

[Beedee]

A few years ago I was given a voucher for a "behind the scenes" trip to a local falconry centre. It included a session of flying a harris hawk back and forth between myself and the falconer. It was a beautiful bird. So light you could barely feel it on the glove when it landed.

It was all going as expected when suddenly the hawk veered into a barrel roll and dived. It had spotted a wild rabbit and a fraction of a second latter the bunny was bloody and twitching. The falconer euthanised the rabbit and put it in his bag, and we went back to flying the hawk. The hawk's adrenaline was obviously still up and the next time it landed on my gauntleted hand it was definitely a strike compared to a landing. Boy, it hurt!

Experiencing the hawk close up was wonderful. So beautiful. And seeing it doing what it does was eye opening too. btw we visited the centre's vulture enclosure after flying the hawk. They got a rabbit dinner that afternoon.

 

[Rlburnside]

I'm quite fortunate in my line of work that I've seen some incredible nature sights while getting paid for it. Was on a job between Scotland and Norway and saw a pod of around 15 killer whales that hung around the boat for a couple of hours. Have also seen massive pods of dolphins in the Irish Sea and pilot whales in the northern North Sea..


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Also got to hand feed this young kestrel that got blown off course and ended up on our boat.
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I’ve probably seen hundreds of killer whales over the years , don’t think that photo is of killer whales they could possibly be pilot whales ?

 

[srixon 1]

Best job I ever had was when I first joined the RN. I worked at the Falconry Unit at RNAS Yeovilton. I had to care for an injured buzzard for a few months that had been brought in by a member of the public. Owls are my favourite bird of prey.

 

[ColchesterFC]

I’ve probably seen hundreds of killer whales over the years , don’t think that photo is of killer whales they could possibly be pilot whales ?

They were pilot whales. See third sentence of my post. ?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

We see our resident sparrow hawk most days in our garden.
He generally fails to make a strike and when he does the bird generally gets away.

 

[jim8flog]

One sometimes kills a pigeon (they nest in the tree in my neighbours garden) but are too heavy to carry off and get dropped in to my garden. I always leave the dead bird they as it come back daily to have some until it it is light enough to carry off.

 

[larmen]

A couple of weeks ago there was a video going around the web where an eagle carried away the dead fox a photographer had laid out as bait.


A couple of years ago we booked a photography day at the national wildlife centre. You basically get a tour through ‘all’ their areas with a guide, and photo opportunities. Based mostly around their feeding cycle.

not experienced anything in the wild, town kids ;-)

 

[Swinglowandslow]

This, I was stood on our drive the other year and heard a right thud I turned round and saw the biggest pile of feathers floating to the ground. looked about five yds to the right and a sparrow hawk had a pigeon. There was only one winner.
There’s a story on the news sites today where some fool has pulled a sock over a swans head and neck. Some days you could just scream.

That's not a fool. That is .......execrable ?.

 

[sunshine]

There is a red kite that hovers over our garden. When it swoops past you realise that it is surprisingly large... it's the kind of bird you would expect to find in the Scottish highlands not Hertfordshire. My wife is worried about letting the cat out in case the bird grabs it.

 

[Rooter]

There is a red kite that hovers over our garden. When it swoops past you realise that it is surprisingly large... it's the kind of bird you would expect to find in the Scottish highlands not Hertfordshire. My wife is worried about letting the cat out in case the bird grabs it.

Typically red kites do not kill to eat, they prey on already dead stuff, but they eat a surprising amount of worms too! They are opportunists, not hunters. They may get the off mouse etc, but a cat is safe!

Turning into a bit of a pest round these parts, even worse in Didcot, my lad played footy there recently and looking up was like a scene from a Hitchcock film!!

 

[Rlburnside]

They were pilot whales. See third sentence of my post. ?

I’ve seen pilot whales before but never seen them sky hopping like in your photo never knew they had part white underbelly ?

 

[arnieboy]

A couple of weeks ago we were woken up by two seagulls having a right punch up on our drive watched by half a dozen more on the roof. A hell of a lot of squawking going on!

 

[davidy233]

A couple of weeks ago there was a video going around the web where an eagle carried away the dead fox a photographer had laid out as bait.


A couple of years ago we booked a photography day at the national wildlife centre. You basically get a tour through ‘all’ their areas with a guide, and photo opportunities. Based mostly around their feeding cycle.

not experienced anything in the wild, town kids ;-)

Photographers who bait animals for a picture are scum