Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !

"andy" wrote in message
...
Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !


Sparrow Hawk or such bird.


Mike


--
Base for a Botanic visit to the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:37:10 -0000, "'Mike'"
wrote:





"andy" wrote in message
.. .
Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !


Sparrow Hawk or such bird.


Mike

Also wondered what a pidgeon was doing around my pond at night surely
it would be roosting high up ?

"andy" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:37:10 -0000, "'Mike'"
wrote:





"andy" wrote in message
. ..
Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !


Sparrow Hawk or such bird.


Mike

Also wondered what a pidgeon was doing around my pond at night surely
it would be roosting high up ?


More than likely took it to ground to devour it. I have seen Sparrow Hawks
take a bird in flight and go to ground level.

On one occasion I wish I had a high speed camera and reflexes to go with it,
as a Sparrow Hawk took a Sparrow from under my veranda and flew off to the
right not 6 feet away. Happened in a flash!!

Mike

--
Base for a Botanic visit to the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

"andy" wrote
"'Mike'"wrote:
"andy" wrote
Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !


Sparrow Hawk or such bird.

Also wondered what a pigeon was doing around my pond at night surely
it would be roosting high up ?

We had a Collared Dove brain itself on the door of our greenhouse at 9.00pm
the other night so they do fly at night, especially if disturbed. That dove
was dead the next morning.

A few weeks before I had to shoot a damaged pigeon after I found it being
attacked on our small lawn by a bird of prey (which itself was about to be
attacked by our cat). Despite asking I never managed 100% confirmation of
which bird of prey it was although I thought it was a Kestrel at the time
due to the colour of the plumage but have been told they don't kill pigeons.

Next door also had what you describe in their small front garden a couple of
months ago.

You don't say what time this morning you first noticed it but Sparrow Hawks
etc are up and about early.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

Despite asking I never managed 100% confirmation of which bird of prey it
was although I thought it was a Kestrel at the time due to the colour of
the plumage but have been told they don't kill pigeons.

If kestrels are hungry they will take on bigger prey than pigeons. I
witnessed an epic battle between a kestrel and a rook last year. It was a
bit like Pooh and the honey jar. First the kestrel was on top, then the
rook. The rook was trying to smother the kestrel with its wings and the
kestrel was trying to get at the throat of the rook. After about 15 minutes
of struggle they declared a draw and went their separate ways.

Phil

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:13:01 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

Despite asking I never managed 100% confirmation of
which bird of prey it was although I thought it was a Kestrel at the time
due to the colour of the plumage but have been told they don't kill pigeons.

Pigeons could be a possible victims for a Kestrel.

We had a Kestrel kill a chicken.

Steve

--
Neural Planner Software Ltd www.NPSL1.com

Neural network applications, help and support.

"andy" wrote in message
...
Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !

Likely to be a female sparrowhawk. Pigeons (especially collared doves) are
their favourite food.
Tina

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...


I thought it was a Kestrel at the time
due to the colour of the plumage but have been told they don't kill
pigeons.

Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK



and this Kestrel http://www.myalbum.com/Album=YXGGXTMT certainly wasn't
watching any birds when I photographed it!! Mice or Vole or something ;-)

Mike

--
Base for a Botanic visit to the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:13:01 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:





You don't say what time this morning you first noticed it but Sparrow Hawks
etc are up and about early.

I noticed it circa 9am so could well have happened earlier in morning
at first light etc. Certainly had a good meal nothing left only a bit
of wing even had head & beak ........ feathers made a mess all around
my waterfall but pump was off . Would the moving water have put it off
having it's breakfast here ?

Sacha wrote:
On 2010-03-23 16:33:17 +0000, andy said:

Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !

Almost certainly a Sparrowhawk. That puff of feathers left behind is
the telltale. They pin their prey to the ground and eat it alive.

But they only tend to eat the soft parts.

--
Rusty

"andy" wrote in message
...
Found the remains of a pidgeon near my pond this morning - hardly any
of the carcass left just a load of feathers. We have a small garden
surrounded by others but it is enclosed by 6ft fences ( to deter cats
)
I am sure a cat wouldn't / couldn't have done this so possibly a fox ?
Don't know how it got in garden tho and it's pretty well built up
around where I live ....... V Strange !

A cat will enjoy eating the breast of pigeon, and will leave the bird
spreadeagled on the lawn with feathers everywhere.

We had a cat who did this and the first sign that something had occurred was
when he came in and laid down to sleep in front of the fire looking a bit
bloated. When he didn't stir for a very long time we thought something was
up. We went out and found the victim surrounded by feathers on our lawn.

Bill

In article ,
says...

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:13:01 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:





You don't say what time this morning you first noticed it but Sparrow Hawks
etc are up and about early.

I noticed it circa 9am so could well have happened earlier in morning
at first light etc. Certainly had a good meal nothing left only a bit
of wing even had head & beak ........ feathers made a mess all around
my waterfall but pump was off . Would the moving water have put it off
having it's breakfast here ?

Birds of prey typically do not eat all the victim, usually they will
pluck the back feathers and eat the soft bits leaving most of the
carcase. Of course it could not have been a fox, they are nice and
fluffy creatures who would not harm a fly.

"prb" wrote in message
om...
In article ,
says...

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:13:01 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:





You don't say what time this morning you first noticed it but Sparrow
Hawks
etc are up and about early.

I noticed it circa 9am so could well have happened earlier in morning
at first light etc. Certainly had a good meal nothing left only a bit
of wing even had head & beak ........ feathers made a mess all around
my waterfall but pump was off . Would the moving water have put it off
having it's breakfast here ?

Birds of prey typically do not eat all the victim, usually they will
pluck the back feathers and eat the soft bits leaving most of the
carcase.

This has not been my experience.


Of course it could not have been a fox, they are nice and
fluffy creatures who would not harm a fly.

I thought the OP had a very secure garden that a fox couldn't have got into.
Don't worry, I'm a poultry keeper and as far as I'm concerned the only good
fox in my garden is a dead one - so it wasn't because I think they are soft
and fluffy that I suggested it was a female sparrowhawk. I genuinely think
it *was*
Tina
You don't want me to tell the tale again about how a female s/h took a
collared dove right out of my hands, surely?

In message , Christina Websell
writes

"prb" wrote in message
. com...
In article ,
says...

On Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:13:01 -0000, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:





You don't say what time this morning you first noticed it but Sparrow
Hawks
etc are up and about early.

I noticed it circa 9am so could well have happened earlier in morning
at first light etc. Certainly had a good meal nothing left only a bit
of wing even had head & beak ........ feathers made a mess all around
my waterfall but pump was off . Would the moving water have put it off
having it's breakfast here ?

Birds of prey typically do not eat all the victim, usually they will
pluck the back feathers and eat the soft bits leaving most of the
carcase.

This has not been my experience.


Of course it could not have been a fox, they are nice and
fluffy creatures who would not harm a fly.

I thought the OP had a very secure garden that a fox couldn't have got into.
Don't worry, I'm a poultry keeper and as far as I'm concerned the only good
fox in my garden is a dead one - so it wasn't because I think they are soft
and fluffy that I suggested it was a female sparrowhawk. I genuinely think
it *was*
Tina
You don't want me to tell the tale again about how a female s/h took a
collared dove right out of my hands, surely?




Please -.. not again!! ... :-))) (Only joking)

--
Gopher .... I know my place!