Breakfast is served ....

[Clicker]

 Heard a thud on the roof last evening at Dusk... followed by a second sound of a scraping noise ... Looked out of a Velux window and saw nothing... This morning all was revealed as I captured this  through the French doors of the dining room ... Sadly it was a racing pigeon who copped it when the Sparrowhawk was grocery shopping ... What a magnificent  raptor  though ... I got a lot of  pics and a film of him ...  promise not to post them all .

Best viewed large ... even if it's a bit gory ... Sorry to those of a sensitive demeanour 

 

    

[Phil]

Nature at its very best, or worst depending if you're unfortunate enough to be a pigeon.

Super capture

[Korky]

What a great image - I usually steer around the bird pics, but this one really is an attention grabber. Excellent!

Korky

[Clicker]

Not a pretty picture Phil ... but I have to say I felt very privileged to be able to capture images of  a wild bird of prey at such close quarters for over half and hour... I have an album full of images that I may never have the opportunity to capture in such dramatic circumstances ever again . All taken on my Panasonic Bridge FZ1000... It was quite amusing when another pigeon flew down into the garden from the Summer house roof, (whilst the  hawk was feeding, fifteen feet away), ....completely oblivious of the intruder and I watched the hawk ...like a hawk.... (Ouch) .. eyeing up the 2nd course  momentarily and then deciding, probably ...that he was probably too full to even get off the ground very easily  in order to  dispatch the dimwit of a pigeon .. It was his lucky day ...

Thank you so much Korky ... I thought it might mostly be the men who would comment on this as  it certainly hasn't got an "aw..." factor....oh dear  does that  sound  terribly sexist ... maybe it is not very PC eh? 

I appreciate your comments as I was thrilled with results ... The funniest thing was ... when he had finished ... he walked along the lawn wiping the blood off his feet as he went  looking just as if he was using a doormat ...It was really comical ... Have we got a  forum for uploading bits of  Video taken  on here .. I was sure there was ...will go and look as I have one short one that may fit on here ...  Thanks again Phil and Korky ...and Chris for your "like "...

 

.. 

[Ryewolf]

Couple of excellent shots there and lucky you to have it happen in your garden.

[Clicker]

 I took over 400 images RW     ..  I would never have been able to do that with my old Minolta and film.... I am getting rid of about 30%  of them. It was just one of those opportunities where I was glad I have two batteries at least for every camera... I would have been mad as hell if I'd missed the opportunity because I had a flat battery !!!

[Guest Ron]

This is a cracking image Polly, well done and congrats on picture of the week it is well deserved.

We have a Sparrowhawk which quite often makes sorties on our garden or should I say the birds at the feeders. 

The thing that surprised me one day was as the hawk came over the garden wall at full speed a blackbird flew into a thick shrub for cover. The hawk crashed its way into the shrub feet first in an attempt to catch it I was amazed that it would do this and risk injuring a leg or wing, they really are amazing birds.

regards

Ron

[Clicker]

Thanks ...I have seen this one before Ron ...well when I  say I've seen it,..I've seen SOMETHING  whizz past the window  or or overhead in the garden at such a speed I have had to summize it was a sparrowhawk. Just a flash and they are gone..so no chance of capturing that !

Ah well ...only a couple of hundred more to edit

 

 

[VWGolf]

I'm of member of the fairer sex and I love your pictures of this magnificent bird, gore or no  :-)

[Clicker]

Oh thank you VW ...I certainly hope I didn't offend anyone with that remark ... it's just when some of my girl friends saw it, that was  the first  thing they commented on ... "Ugh a bit gruesome innit?"  said one..  She was a town gal  though ...lol  

I have to say I was  really pleased with my luck .... of being in the right place at the the right time ... Afraid  that  couldn't be said  for the victim  though...