The Natural World - Page 15

All images on this page © the author. Camera used: Minolta Dynax 7.

Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), male, with starling prey in back garden.

Sparrowhawks, both male and female, are regular visitors to our garden. On one occasion I managed to get within about 15 feet of a male whilst he was attempting to subdue his freshly caught prey, unidentified being hidden by ivy growing over the top of the fence on which the bird eventually perched.

The cacophony of alarm and scare calls from other birds; blackbirds, robin, finches and magpies was tremendous with many of these birds being within 10 feet of the hawk.

The picture was taken on Fuji Provia 400F rated at ISO 800 and scanned using a Minolta Dimâge Scan Elite II.

Dynax 7 with Sigma 50-500mm and x2 converter. December 28th 2003 at 13:21.

Below are two shots, taken at the same location in October 2004, of a female sparrowhawk.

Female sparrowhawk with ring-collared dove prey in back garden.

Both shots of this female were taken on 21st October 2004 at 09:01 and 08:39.

A female had been spotted previously with a dove on 4th October 2004 but flew off with its prey before pictures could be taken.

More and numerous white dove feathers found on grass 8th December 2004 p.m. indicate another successful hunting visit by a sparrowhawk.

At 09:05 on 9th December 2004 a female sparrowhawk was seen with a freshly caught pigeon, in the back garden but flew off due to neighbour activities before a camera could be set up.

Both shots with a Minolta Dynax 7 with Sigma 50-500mm on Fuji Provia 400F rated at ISO 800 and scanned using a Minolta Dimâge Scan Elite II.

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