Sprawk !!!

 I suppose that its inevitable that the  'Pear tree feeding station' in my garden will attract its fair share of predators, its a bit like a restaurant with a good variety of birds on the menu, something I do feel guilty about, but thats nature, and on those occasions when an Sparrowhawk does make a 'sortie', most of the birds make it to cover.

The ring of feathers found on the lawn on occasion, bear testimony to those that didn't make it.

The Sparrowhawks appear to show no fear and are quite at home in the suburban environment, I have witnessed several attacks around the Pear Tree whilst gardening, although they rarely linger, I have managed to photograph a few over the years.

This is the latest Sparrowhawk to be photographed which I noticed  perched in the Magnolia tree at the bottom of the garden, didn't stay for long and was obviously looking for a meal.

I am pretty confident in identifying the adult birds, this is a juvenile, but juvenile male or female I am not so sure, leaning towards a juvenile male, nice looking bird though.

Here's a photographic record of some of the Sparrowhawks that I have managed  to capture.

This probable second year female or adult shown below was the first that I managed to photograph back in January 2013, staying some time in the bough of the pear tree as it devoured its meal.

 23rd December 2014 this fine looking male Sparrowhawk shown below, appeared from nowhere and landed on the fence in front of the feeders obviously scattering the  terror stricken birds on the feeders.

4th February 2015, possibly the same male again landed on the fence before flying off down the gardens.

Once again on 24th November 2015, a male Sparrowhawk, possibly the same individual was seen in the shadows of the laurels at the bottom of the garden.

Spectacular birds to watch.