in my garden. Pretty certain I’ve currently got a sparrowhawk that’s been on a killing spree by reducing the pigeon population. Should really get the binoculars but not feeling particularly brave.

That’ll be a right mess to clear up in the morning. Great.

If there’s any left, I have recipes…

Thanks! Just got the bins and it’s not a sparrowhawk, it’s bigger and grey with a white breast. Any ideas?

Grey with white breast? Female sparrowhawk or Goshawk.

Giant horsefly?

OK, it turned round and had a patch of white just above the breast. Its silhouette wasn’t that of a sparrowhawk though, looked tall. Watched it fly off and it looked like a sparrowhawk with its underneath colouring but its size was definitely bigger. Have seen sparrowhawks quite close up before, in fact regularly on a garden fence which was wonderful.

Goshawk? As in ‘H is for hawk’ film? Again, too tall and this patch of white.

Baffled!

Midget Eagle of Death?

lol and what a cruel name for a dear little dunnock.

Perhaps it was a young adult of some description, really wish I knew.

Are you sure it wasn’t a large white object talking about an alcoholic beverage in a loud voice? 😉

By far the most likely is a Sparrowhawk but, depending on where you live, and are v lucky, it could be a Peregrine…slightly bigger, with a white bit on the males

https://www-coventrytelegraph-net.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/rare-bearded-vulture-spotted-flying-18508932.amp?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coventrytelegraph.net%2Fnews%2Fcoventry-news%2Frare-bearded-vulture-spotted-flying-18508932

If your unlucky enough to be near here

World’s largest link oops

Sparrowhawk isn’t big enough to take a pigeon IME.

Sparrowhawk at casa OTS last week on a young starling.

Certainly this bird had the white in the same place as the peregrine but its tail was a lot longer. This bird was different but it took off quickly although I could see under the wings was very patterned. It’s the height really that puzzles me. Couldn’t have been a juvenile sea eagle could it cos they aren’t far away!

Good pic there ots!

Also that vulture pic is amazing, so lucky to have seen it.

Sparrowhawk isn’t big enough to take a pigeon IME.

Oh yes they are. A bloody mess to clean up after too and nothing left for a recipe either. Last time be I saw in my garden it was standing on the pigeon after chasing it into the back door of the house.

So they do
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/sparrowhawk/hunting/

Impressive!

Goshawk isn’t *that* unlikely. I got a good pic of one many years ago, turned out (when I tried to identify it on here) to be an escaped goshawk. Had a ring on its leg.

They come in a fairly large range of colours too, possibly because they’ve been bred in captivity for centuries.

Bit bigger than a sparrowhawk but smaller than a buzzard.

Yes a female sparrow hawk definitely hunts and kills pigeons, which I’ve witnessed a few times.
It could be a Goshawk as they look very much like a sparrowhawk but a lot larger.

My personal thought is a baby robin.

How do I get hold of one? We are now being divebombed by 2 seagulls who seem to think they are the rulers of the area. Something like that would sort them out…

Nowadays a seagull would just swallow a sparrowhawk whole.

Nowadays a seagull would just swallow a sparrowhawk whole.

After watching a great blacked back gull remove a competitor ( standard seagull) from the area of sea where the kids had chucked unused crabbing bait the other day I can well believe it.
He / she basically swallowed the other bird down to its neck then appeared to try to drown it, vicious bugger

Probably a female Sparrowhawk – quite a bit bigger than the male.

Have spent ages trying to ID this birdie and still haven’t reached a conclusion. Didn’t want to go near the window, seemed unfair to disturb it so stayed at the other end of the room.

Female sparrowhawk is up to 50% bigger than the male which is surprising. Wondering if it was an opportunist goshawk due to size and colour although not patterned on the outside. Showed much strength by the way in which it was tearing apart its kill. Talk about being determined!

Loads of pigeons, as there is everywhere. I don’t feed the birds, garden is tiny and don’t want to encourage pigeons. Have a little copse nearby which could potentially be visited by a sparrowhawk. There is other woodland too.

Glad I don’t live on the coast, can’t stand gulls that really are a public nuisance.

Loved that documentary on the female who trained a goshawk. She was well and truly owned by that bird.