Garden birds - wotcha got?

Dominic

Am I right thinking that a number of Great Bustards have been reintroduced to the Fens ?

ArchtopDave

Occasionally I get to see the mightily impressive Red Kites since they were reintroduced some years back in Geordieland. A few years ago, I almost walked into one. It was resting on a very low tree branch, as I pushing my wheelbarrow to where we're allowed to dump green garden waste. Makes you blink, when a bird with a six foot wing span takes off right in front of you.

drofluf

ArchtopDave said:

Occasionally I get to see the might impressive Red Kites since they were reintroduced some years back in Geordieland.

We used to have loads in the last place I lived very impressive creatures. 

Dominic

Anybody seen one of the Sea Eagles that were introduced on IOW a few years ago ?

Rob1742

We unfortunately have a sparrow hawk. I have now witnessed four assassinations where it chases a pigeon into the side of the house so it’s stunned. He then pins it to the ground and picks it apart whilst still alive.

Latest incident was last Sunday. Always fascinated me that while the hawk is feasting, the crows are hovering around wanting the leftovers. Then when the crows have been, something then takes the remains during the night. 

Dominic

I didn't realise Sparrowhawks tackled things as big as a Pigeon......are you sure it's not a Kestrel ?

HAL9000

Dominic said:

Anybody seen one of the Sea Eagles that were introduced on IOW a few years ago ?

No, but saw some a few weeks ago when we were on the Isle of Skye. Very Impressive indeed.

slacker

We have sparrows starlings etc but they keep a low profile as we have about 3 red kites that patrol the back gardens. Someone's burglar alarm went off sounding similar  to their call. They went crazy.

Rob1742

Dominic said:

I didn't realise Sparrowhawks tackled things as big as a Pigeon......are you sure it's not a Kestrel ?

Pretty sure, the missus and my son are really spot in with their birds. Forever looking into the sky and spotting red kites etc. They have checked in books etc.

The worst thing for me is the struggle, the pigeon is really fighting to get away and the hawk is having to fight to pin it down. 

It’s okay when the pigeon has been really stunned when it has hit the window, but last Sunday he drove the pigeon into my car and it wasn’t stunned as much. The struggle really was evident and it was still struggling as it was plucking his feathers out. I wish I didn’t watch to be honest 

Kittyfrisk

Dominic said:

I didn't realise Sparrowhawks tackled things as big as a Pigeon......are you sure it's not a Kestrel ?

Despite the name, Sparrowhawks prefer to take pigeons.
I heard on the radio that in London they have adapted to prey on the non native ring necked parakeets too.

Tannin

Dominic said:

I didn't realise Sparrowhawks tackled things as big as a Pigeon......are you sure it's not a Kestrel ?

All of the sparrowhawk species I am familiar with will certainly take a pigeon. The females are far bigger than a kestrel, but even the little males take big prey if they feel like it. I've seen them take birds so big they can only just barely carry the victim away. The big female does all of the incubation and brooding, in the breeding season the tiny male sparrowhawk has to feed himself, his mate (who is nearly twice his size) and the youngsters.  It is no wonder he gets a bit ratty, he's under a lot of pressure.

Kestrels generally eat much smaller prey, typically grasshoppers and mice, or other creatures around that size. 

BillDL

I live in a semi-detached house with a small back garden in rural suburbia, i.e. part of a large established housing estate at the edge of the town that butts onto woodland and farms that separate my town from the next one.  A high laurel hedge separates my garden from the older house behind.  I trimmed it back last Autumn on my side and the neighbour behind trimmed his side, so there were quite a few "holes" through the branches that would be filled in by new growth the next year.  I have a pre-fabricated Marley garage about 20 feet away from my back door.  Early one morning in Spring this year I was standing on the back step after having finished a nightshift.  The sun was just coming up over the roofs of the houses behind me and all the birds were going about their early morning business.  There were two magpies on the roof of my garage cackling.   In a flash a sparrowhawk swept through a fairly small gap between the branches of the hedge like a laser-guided missile, folding its "elbows" in as it did so.  One of the magpies just managed to lift off and tried to fly, but with one deft readjustment in flight the sparrow hawk nailed it in an explosion of white and black feathers and a terrified shriek.  It managed to carry the magpie over onto the common grass area on the outside of my driveway fence and landed on the grass, stretching its wings out.  The most amazing tussle ensued between the sparrowhawk and magpie, and the magpie's shouts quickly summoned about eight other magpies that set about harrassing the sparrowhawk to try and make it relax its death grip on their colleague.  The ploy worked and the sparrow hawk was beaten into retreat and flew off, but the neighbour's sneaky cat was watching the drama and immediately dashed in, grabbed the injured magpie, and scurried off into bushes pursued by the cackling magpies.

Nitefly

^^ "Red in tooth and claw"...

Offset

Dominic said:

I didn't realise Sparrowhawks tackled things as big as a Pigeon......are you sure it's not a Kestrel ?

I witnessed what I believed to be a sparrowhawk chasing  a wood pigeon around our property a few years back.  Kestrels wouldn't take a pigeon - small rodents is their thing which is why you see them hovering searching for movement. 

Dominic

I thought it was the sparrowhawks I see hovering..........seems I have got them the wrong way round !

Kittyfrisk

Just went into the garden to top up the bird feeders & a bloody sparrowhawk was sat on the grass about a metre away glowering at me before zooming off clutching the remains of what was once a woodpigeon... 
No wonder the birds have been quiet of late.

Logie

Dunnock
House Sparrow
Robin
Blue tit
Greenfinch
Rook
Jay
Crow
Wood pigeon
Collared dove
Starling

I hear and see Goldfinches in the trees but they never visit the feeders even when I tempt them with Niger seeds.

Dominic

3 Jays this morning which are quite unusual here

cj73

Despite living right on the edge of miles of open countryside we only really see the usual dull fare, until this morning..

Adey

We got "pink swarms"of Long Tailed Tits in the spring coming to our bird feeder. They all turn up and then all. Anish together. Never individually.

We also had a Peregrin Falcon turn up on the fence one day. There had been a huge rain storm, and it was like he had been rained out of the sky. He sat on the fence for 10 mins until the Rin eased, and disappeared again.

We very rarely seem to get Thrushes or Starling in the garden these days. They seemed very common when I was younger.