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[Limpy]

The last 3 sightings of the Sparrow Hawk have been sitting on the bush below the feeders.
Long may it last.........

[CLKD]

Move the feeders?

The ones locally sweep through the gardens …….. then it goes quite. quiet !

Our wren was about at lunch time 

[Taz2]

That's unusual Limpy. They normally perch higher up than that and not in view so they can swoop down really fast. Is this a new addition to your "flock"?

Taz x

[Taz2]

Thinking about it.. do you have mice in your garden Limpy? The perching stance is often used for on-foot killing. They drop down onto the mice and trample them to death with their sharp talons.

Taz x

[CLKD]

  - I haven't seen mice around the garden for years - in the chickens' run yep, where they don't last long 

[Taz2]

We've got the yellow-necked ones behind the plum tree next to the fence. They are really sweet. They are well hidden and really frustrate the cats. I often look out of the kitchen window to be faced with the rear end view of four very patient cats just waiting.. and waiting...

Taz x

[Limpy]

That's unusual Limpy. They normally perch higher up than that and not in view so they can swoop down really fast. Is this a new addition to your "flock"?

Taz x

Might be because OH moved the nut baskets. Before that they flew over the feeders only stopping to swoop down and spook things. The actual killing is a new trick for our sparrow hawk/s, it's not been so blatant in the past...........  The last body examined had feathers, looked like nuthatch


The perching underneath seems better for the little birds, no feathers today...............

[CLKD]

ARE those protected Taz?

[Taz2]

No they are not protected as yet. They climb trees really well and the first time I found one it was in the bird feeder saucer when I was re-filling them late one night. Who was the most surprised I wonder?

http://www.mammal.org.uk/species-factsheets/Yellow-necked%20mouse

Taz x

[Limpy]

The yellow necked mice look cute.
We've got Bank Voles and a few Wood Mice.
Occasionally some shrews.
Haven't seen the SH make off with anything rodent like.

[Taz2]

They don't make off with rodents. They eat them where they kill them. They stamp on them - sort of in a treading water sort of motion - with their needle sharp talons and then rip them apart. Glad I'm not a mouse!

Taz  x

[Limpy]

Definitely wouldn't do to be a rodent!
This one must have been hungry, it did make off with the Nuthatch.

We've seen them in a previous life, trapping a blue tit in a square squirrel proof not feeder.
(E.g. A wire mesh cage surrounding a cylinder containing nut with holes in the outer cage to allow small birds access to nuts. Mind you woodpeckers couldn't get at the nuts either!)

Anyway, the SH flew round and round this feeder only pausing to take a chunk out of the blue tits leg. The blue tit was too scared to have escaped earlier and just stayed where it was.

[Taz2]

That's what I meant - they do take off with winged prey but have a different technique for rodents. Will try to find some info

Taz x

[Taz2]

Some info here - interesting reading http://nurturing-nature.co.uk/gardening-for-wildlife/sparrowhawk-hunting-mice-in-garden/

Taz x

[Limpy]

Thanks for that Taz brilliant article.

It may explain why the Sparrow Hawk has been a bit dissuaded by OH moving the position of the feeder. There's less of a direct line to it now, more cover for the birds.

I would imagine rodents are heavier than most small birds which is why the SH stamps on them rather than carrying them away?