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[ellie]

Sounds like it would be a Sparrowhawk, they could easily carry a Pigeon.

[Limpy]

Sparrowhawk sounds about right.

A few years ago, well ok about 20ish if truth be told, MIL saw a SH despatch and make off with a Pigeon. Whilst she was on morphine at the time, she had the clearest brain of anybody I have ever met. Possibly, even including her son.......... 

[honeybun]

I thought SH s killed and ate where they killed so that is interesting. There have been a couple of buzzards circling the hills behind us but I have never seen them near the houses.

Hope it does not happen too often. The patio was a right mess.


Honeyb
x

[Limpy]

Buzzards will do it as well, they kill as well as scavenging.
SHs seem to both kill on the spot but also make off with the prey.

[Taz2]

It could have been a Peregrine Honeybun. Sparrowhawks don't usually carry the prey by one wing but a Peregrine does. They are the size of a crow so bigger than a Sparrowhawk. This is also the time of year for courtship and part of their display is to pass prey to their chosen girlfriend while in mid air.

Sparrowhawks often have a "plucking station" usually a post of some kind where they go to pluck and eat their kill.

I love our buzzards and the cry they make. Strange to think that one of their main foods are earthworms - just doesn't fit somehow!

Taz x

[CLKD]

Buzzards will kill but rarely - they are scavengers: my sister had a hen chick taken from in front of her by a buzzard, she was on the 'phone to me at the time and shrieked the 'news' as we talked.

My first thought was sparrow hawk but peregrine probably suits the situation more aptly. 

We have spawn 

[ariadne]

I asked a friend for some frogspawn as I desperately want some tadpoles and frogs in my allotment pond. I used to have frogs until about 4 years ago when I saw a snake slither into it. Hubby didn't believe me until I carefully lifted it out with a stick to show him. He HATES snakes and almost ran screaming. It was a beautiful thing. I think it had been living under some corrugated metal that was lying on our allotment.

Never seen a living thing in the pond since then but I've now got frogspawn in it thanks to my friend.

Fingers crossed 

Ariadne xx

[CLKD]

Grass snakes will eat frogs/froglets 

[Taz2]

Yep it would definitely have been a grass snake. They are powerful swimmers in canals and rivers too. Beautiful to watch with their yellow "ears". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w7bYWF7pHk

Taz x

[CLKD]

They are always bigger than I remember 

[ariadne]

[ariadne]

Crikey - I didn't think that had worked! Took me forever on my tablet

Well that's the snake ladies.

Ariadne xx

[Limpy]

Re Buzzards

"Buzzards are smaller than golden eagles but just as formidable as predators. These imposing hunters drop down on rabbits and small mammals from slow or hovering flight or from a perch."

I've seen them taking a pheasant chick. The chick and it's mum had started out alive. The mum did her best but.........

[Taz2]

That's why they were so mercilessly persecuted Limpy due to their taking of game bird chicks. They do have a varied diet though and flock to follow the plough in order to eat the worms being turned up. They often have spats with the seagulls who are also after the worms.

Taz x

[CLKD]

DH almost fell over a large hedgehog last night .........