Females feathers all ruffled ups its back. Looks like it’s had a close shave with a cat or dog
Wildlife in your Garden
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Probably just had a 'close shave' with the drake. lol
Saw the first swallows of the year today, just outside Coniston in the Lakes.
Who doesn't love a good swallow..?
Just had a bird of prey possibly a sparrowhawk sitting on an acer, head height about 8 feet from my kitchen window where I was standing, absolutely stunning.
It's plume was a tinge of orange around It's head, didn't have my phone at hand to take a photo unfortunately.
Ironic thing is as soon as it flew off a plump pigeon flew on to my fence, there would have been carnage.
Saw one previously about 6 years ago of which I put the photo on here.
I've also got blue tits in a nest box flying back and forth which could possibly be attracting it.
It's plume was a tinge of orange around It's head, didn't have my phone at hand to take a photo unfortunately.
Ironic thing is as soon as it flew off a plump pigeon flew on to my fence, there would have been carnage.
Saw one previously about 6 years ago of which I put the photo on here.
I've also got blue tits in a nest box flying back and forth which could possibly be attracting it.
It`s a male Sparrowhawk, it has that orange tinge around it`s neck, where as the female doesn`t.
The male sparrowhawk is more of a danger to the blue tits, but the female would definitely target the pigeon.
It`s incredible the way some of the Hawks have evolved, with the difference in size between the male and female, which gives them a much broader range of birds to target for their prey.
Sparrowhawk female - up to Wood Pigeon size.
Sparrowhawk male - generally up to Blackbird size and smaller.
Which works out perfectly when the chicks hatch, as the male can feed them little and often and the female can go bigger, but not catch as many.
A few years ago I actually witnessed a female take down a full size pheasant
As an update on this - The wren did complete the nest, but it has remained unused. This is not unusual, the male Wren makes several nests in his 'territory' (known as cock nests) The female then chooses one and lines it with moss, fur etc. I'm not sure where her chosen nest is as the 'territory' may be the size of a football pitch.
Elsewhere in the garden, a nest box which over the last few years has been used by Blue Tits and then Tree Sparrows, this year has Great Tits nesting in it. (will try to get some pics over the next day or two)
Another box that had a Robins nest last year remains empty, but I think there may be Robins nesting low down in the bushes as I am regularly seeing a pair of Robins in and out.
JimmyJeffers
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AndyC
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Looked on t'interweb - seems it's a Cucumber Spider. Quite common apparently
