Sparrowhawk – Stephen's Wildlife

Saturday redeemed

Miggy, the cat, unimpressed with the flooded garden

It really did not look promising. The back garden was under water and the rain did not look like it was going to stop, ever. A pyjama day with the TV remote in one hand and a snack in the other was the most likely scenario. But, the forecast offered a glimmer of hope. Filled more with hope than confidence in the met office prediction my son and I headed out on a 20 minute drive to Stanpit Marsh.

We arrived and the rain stopped! A lot more of the nature reserve was under water than usual. It was difficult to see where the land finished and Christchurch harbour started. The light was both fascinating and challenging. There was cloud cover one moment followed by bright sunshine casting long shadows. Every photo needed a different set up and we were fighting with the controls all afternoon.

We were rewarded with a joyous two and a half hours of exploring the accessible parts of the reserve. We saw waders, egrets, herons, ducks, geese, pipits, wagtails, sparrowhawks, kestrels. It was noticeable too, I don’t think I imagined it, that the birds were noisier than usual.

Back at the car park we compared sightings with another birdwatcher. He used binoculars rather than a camera and was enthusiastic to hear what we had seen. He had seen a hen harrier, which we missed. We had both heard reports of a glossy ibis on the reserve, but neither of us got a sighting this time.

Satisfied, we got back in the car and headed home. We got as far as the first roundabout a few hundred yards and I had to turn on the windscreen wipers as the heavens opened again.

Pintail takeoff against a backdrop of redundant beach huts

Sparrowhawk causing panic among the smaller birds

Curlew landing – a very distinctive call

Male Kestrel – competing with the Sparrowhawk

Oystercatchers walking (do these birds fly?)

Oystercatchers flying (oh yes, they do – always together)

Holton Lee – Sparrowhawk

We opened the door of the hide at Holton Lee and and several heads turned to greet my son and me with the news that a sparrowhawk had visited the feeders about 17 times. Each time it swooped in, circled the area, remaining in flight only to retreat to nearby trees. No sooner had we settled than the bird flew in but this time landed.

It stayed put for only a few seconds, but just long enough for us to capture a few snaps. My son had his camera well set up with a fairly high ISO and shutter speed of 1/1,000 sec and captured a handful of sharp shots.

The consensus view was that the bird must be young and inexperienced – and hungry.

The Sparrowhawk

Wildlife photo opportunities last only a few seconds. This female sparrowhawk landed in my back garden this morning. This was the first time observed visit in the last fifteen years. It stayed for only 20-30 seconds, then it was gone. The poor quality of the photo reflects: the low light conditions (requiring a high ISO setting and a low shutter speed), shooting through a dirty patio window, and the limited time available to adjust the manual focus.

There are over 35,000 pairs in the UK. It is an extremely swift bird of prey, taking its quarry by surprise. It will attack most bird species up to the size of a wood pigeon.