Sparrowhawk?

wexie

Could someone tell me what this bird is? I think it might be a Sparrowhawk?
I just spotted it in my driveway munching away on a freshly killed pidgeon :eek:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

That's just what it is.

Tiercel Dave

Yes, it's a Sparrowhawk. A mature female. Enjoy..........Dave

wexie

Thanks guys,

Would these be a common sight? (I'm in North Wexford) She's gorgeous but certainly not a sight I'd have expected to see in my driveway.

Tiercel Dave

Common but secretive. They tend to fly low and fast hoping to catch prey 'unawares'. Probably feeding fledged young at this stage so can be quite daring!

wexie

I just had a look at the bloody mess it left, looks like the pigeon was full of grain so it was probably an easy kill

TopTec

I have a pair here that live up at the forestry about a mile away. They have been having a war with the four (now three), Magpies that are have moved in to my immediate area. So far, they have caught one of the Magpies 3 times. 2 of them were dropped by one of the Sparrowhawks after being mobbed by the other 3 Magpies but they finally got one a couple of evenings ago.

I found the remains up by the old graveyard just up the lane. Not much missing from it so I reckon its more of a turf-war between them rather than a food thing.

TT

robinwing

Saw a bird of prey hovering over coastal cliffs in south Wexford recently.It stopped so abruptly and skilfully that it looked like it was applying highly efficient disc brakes ! It hovered for a while then moved down the coast about 50 metres and repeated the process again . What might it have been ?

cameramonkey

robinwing wrote: »

Saw a bird of prey hovering over coastal cliffs in south Wexford recently.It stopped so abruptly and skilfully that it looked like it was applying highly efficient disc brakes ! It hovered for a while then moved down the coast about 50 metres and repeated the process again . What might it have been ?

A kestrel most likely.

dodderangler

robinwing wrote: »

Saw a bird of prey hovering over coastal cliffs in south Wexford recently.It stopped so abruptly and skilfully that it looked like it was applying highly efficient disc brakes ! It hovered for a while then moved down the coast about 50 metres and repeated the process again . What might it have been ?

A kestrel. Seen a documentary about them living near cliffs and feeding on vivaporous lizards, frogs and sometimes young chicks of seabirds.

Alun

dodderangler wrote: »

A kestrel. Seen a documentary about them living near cliffs and feeding on vivaporous lizards, frogs and sometimes young chicks of seabirds.

I've just got back from walking a section of the South West Coast Path around Cornwall, which is almost all along cliff edges, and I saw 2 or 3 kestrels every day over a period of nearly 2 weeks, sometimes more.