Topic ID 2548
Just thought I would let you know we have a bird of prey, not sure what sparrowhawk maybe in the garden eating a pigeon, caught it just after 3 and still here having a good meal in the bushes, I hope it is going to clear up all the feathers it is chucking about!
Reply ID 36584
I'd like to set it onto the pigeons that use the over-hangy bit of the brewery in Hartham Lane. They plainly delight in formation turding on the cars parked below. Sure they look like pigeons but based on their group faecal signature it's like 25 feathery Johnny Vegas's have been doing doo-doos.
Reply ID 36593
Mum has assured me it was a kestrel ?? made a good job of what he did only evidence he let was the fathers................would a bit slow going on all those though Herbert, took him 2 days to finish off one!
Reply ID 36612
Unusual prey item for Kestrels, they normally eat small rodents, hence the roadside hover. Have a look at these and let us know please. http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=kestrel&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&vc=&fp_ip=UK http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=kestrel&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&vc=&fp_ip=UK Soz' don't know how to insert a picture!
Reply ID 36622
Difficult to tell it was about the size or lightly smaller than its prey and had the dark barrs across the end of its tail tail that the kestrel has, I agree a sparrowhawk is more likely. It was not particularly bothered by us walking fairly close it just kept its beady eye on us then continued with its work after we passed.
Reply ID 36623
Sparrowhawks do tend to studiously remove all feathers from their prey before eating it elsewhere, so it sounds like that's what it was.
Reply ID 36624
Ah probably then, I will tell Mum she was wrong....................
Reply ID 36625
Did you see the eye colour?, yellow for Hawk, Brown for Kestrel?
Reply ID 36628
Oh let me think, just noticed it was beady...........I would have said brown but could well be wrong, it was under a large bush at the time and I didn't want to disturb it, we do love all our birds it was the first time this had happened though, had them swoop down for blue tits etc in the past but never seen one actully catch and eat anything at quite so close quaters.............
Reply ID 36721
Still not conclusive eh? It's unusual for a Kestrel to take a large pigeon, but more likely in town where small mammals are less abundant. More likely the Hawk. Keep a look out and try to get a photo for positive I.D [;)]
Reply ID 36723
quote:Slightly off topic perhaps, but .... Anyone else remember George, the penultimate landlord at the Dolphin who used to fly a kestrel and or falcon over on the Meads? I bet he'd know what it was straight away!
Originally posted by arkwright
Still not conclusive eh? It's unusual for a Kestrel to take a large pigeon, but more likely in town where small mammals are less abundant. More likely the Hawk. Keep a look out and try to get a photo for positive I.D [;)]
Reply ID 36731
Did he know if he flew a Kestrel or a Falcon Dev? I hope so! Did I see you in the OXT tonight?
Reply ID 36744
quote:Tuesday Night Club - I emailed George with a link to this thread. Here's his reply "It would have been a sparrowhawk as a kestrel would be too small to take a pigeon although they do take smaller song birds. Were several sparrowhawks hunting in the gardens on Ware road in Hertford when I was there."
Originally posted by arkwright
Did he know if he flew a Kestrel or a Falcon Dev? I hope so! Did I see you in the OXT tonight?
Reply ID 36745
Thanks thats answered that one then..........................
Reply ID 36751
By the way Arkwright, I certainly did know which birds I flew down there. At different times there were, Kestrel, sparrowhawk, Harris hawks, redtail Hawk, Lanner falcon and a PerexSaker falcon.
Reply ID 36772
quote:Mmmm...PerexSaker.... It wasn't a dig at you George, more a gentle poke at my friend Dev! We have seen Sparrow Hawks around the Hertford North area recently too. [;)]
By the way Arkwright, I certainly did know which birds I flew down there. At different times there were, Kestrel, sparrowhawk, Harris hawks, redtail Hawk, Lanner falcon and a PerexSaker falcon.
Reply ID 36814
Just spoken to Mum again and she thinks it caught it on the ground while the pidgeon was feeding, never flew with it just dragged it up the path and under the bush when she appeared to take her washing in, it was feading under the bush when I saw it and came back the next day to finish what was left!
Reply ID 36823
Definately a sparrowhawk.
Reply ID 36849
Concur George, do you still fly birds?
Reply ID 36864
quote:Thanks George, I will let you know if it comes back.....could it be living in the trees round the water tower in Bengeo or do they just keep moving?
Originally posted by george
Definately a sparrowhawk.