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Sparrowhawk?

wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets
oldapple
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Sparrowhawk?

#98944

Postby oldapple » November 26th, 2017, 12:28 pm

I was driving along a very narrow rural road yesterday and noticed a sparrowhawk on a hedge ahead to my right. It kindly waited till I got quite close, brown and dark grey coloured, then flew down ahead of me and skimmed very low to the road surface, maybe only 9” off the ground, for a good 100 yards or so. It was lovely to see and one of those things I thought I wouldn’t see again for a long time.

It veered off to the left and sat on a field gate till I passed. And then it did the same again. I felt really privileged by this time. Further along it flew off to my left and again reappeared and disappeared for a third time just before I came to a T junction where I turned left.

Well, I couldn’t believe it when it emerged again in front of me, skimmed the road for another 50 yards or so and disappeared for the last time just before a bungalow beside a church.

I can’t be sure this isn’t the same bird that flew right over my head during the summer, seemingly unafraid of humans but definitely hunting. Does anybody think this road-skimming in front of a car is a ‘new’ hunting tactic? As title suggests, I’m not 100% sure it is a sparrowhawk, but it is definitely a bird of prey and of similar size. My OH says it’s done the same in front of his car but not for as long a distance. I noticed it was flying about 20 miles an hour.

jackdaww
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Re: Sparrowhawk?

#98948

Postby jackdaww » November 26th, 2017, 12:48 pm

amazing , you are lucky to see that.

maybe the bird has learned that the sound of the car may flush out or distract prey.

:)

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Re: Sparrowhawk?

#98955

Postby bungeejumper » November 26th, 2017, 1:05 pm

I've related this story before, so move along people, there's nothing new here to see. Some years ago, we found a beautiful sparrowhawk in prime plumage, lying dead in the churchyard with its neck broken. It had collided with a gravestone, and the Grim Reaper had exacted his immediate revenge.

I was unwilling to dump this bird in a dustbin, or even just to bury it, because it was such a magnificent creature. So I took it to a taxidermist, in the hope that he might find a use for it. (He did.) He also said that the males can get very show-offy, especially in the breeding season (this was February/March), and that they often get hit by cars because they're paying more attention to their display technique than to the Green Cross Code. This one, clearly, had had sex on the brain. I could think of worse ways to go. ;)

My own nearest miss was with a heron, which flapped languidly across my windscreen as I drove past Windsor Castle in the fast lane of the M4. He probably did it all the time. But you don't realise how big those things are until they're too close to your head at 80 mph. :o

BJ

oldapple
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Re: Sparrowhawk?

#98967

Postby oldapple » November 26th, 2017, 2:27 pm

Jackdaw, yes I think the sparrowhawk was using the car to flush out other birds. Bunjeejumper, this bird wasn't being suicidal like your poor thing. Mine seemed to be in total control, almost like it was showing me the way to go. I was in no hurry to get where I was going (big weekly shop) and kept my speed slow and steady - it seemed to know I wouldn't harm it. Maybe it likes lady drivers better than men! If only I had a dashcam.


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