"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2011-07-30 22:34:24 +0100, "Bertie Doe" said:



"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
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Another pile of bluetit feathers this morning!

Whilst I accept that sparrowhawks need to eat and survive, I feel that
by feeding the tits, I am encouraging them and giving the sparrowhawk an
easy meal.

Many years ago (N.London) a sparrow hawk attack was thwarted by the
squirrel-proof bars on our peanut feeder and the BTs lived to fly another
day.

Last week (now E.Cornwall) a sparrow was not so lucky. As I emerged from
the kitchen door a SH pounced. On seeing me, it was unable to perform an
instant kill, so flew off carrying the hapless sparrow ....... alive!!

I'm told that they don't actually kill. They eat their prey alive.
Fluffy-wuffy Naturekins doesn't exist, I'm afraid!

I was once told that the reason cats play with their catches is to see if
it's fit to eat! Apparently, if it dies too quick, there may be something
wrong with it, and make them ill. Don't know if there is any truth in this,
but it might explain why sometimes I am confronted with an unmarked corpse
and at others an unidentifiable heap of innards.

--
Kathy