Hi,

about a week or so back, one morning whilst glancing out of the window from
across the room, I saw what looked like an explosion in a pigeon factory -
feathers everywhere and rising in the wind to blow over towards our garden.

By the time I got to the window for a good look, there were just a few
drifting feathers.

I assumed 'something' had got a pigeon, but probably not on the ground
because of the height of the cloud of feathers.

Today, looking out on our lawn, there is a cluster of pigeon feathers but no
pigeon.

They weren't there about an hour ago.

The cats don't show any sign of pride in finally catching a piddy, and if
they have they have concealed the corpse very well and forgotten it very
quickly.

So methinks we may have a hawk.

We could do with one - there are a ridiculous number of pigeons around this
year and they keep pecking away at our plum trees.

Now wondering, if there is a hawk, where it takes its kill to eat.

Years back I saw one on the back fence with something in one claw, but I
presume they normally repair to somewhere discrete to partake of lunch.

We see Kestrels all the time, hovering over verges.

I presume that something which will take a full sized pigeon will be larger,
and hunt from a greater height.

Do they still hover, or do they drift around like the seagulls, just
looking?

Cheers
Dave R

--

"David wrote in message

about a week or so back, one morning whilst glancing out of the window
from
across the room, I saw what looked like an explosion in a pigeon factory -
feathers everywhere and rising in the wind to blow over towards our
garden.

By the time I got to the window for a good look, there were just a few
drifting feathers.

I assumed 'something' had got a pigeon, but probably not on the ground
because of the height of the cloud of feathers.

Today, looking out on our lawn, there is a cluster of pigeon feathers but
no
pigeon.

They weren't there about an hour ago. ((snip))

Last year we had a Gosshawk working our allotment site and the surrounding
area which is home to large numbers of pigeons due to the proximity of the
Egham Swan Sanctuary (free lunch). They fly low and fast, dodging in and
around trees and shrubs often taking birds whilst they are perched and are
like a large Sparrowhawk.
The Peregrine Falcon will also take pigeon and they normally dive on it in
flight at a rate of knots.
As you say, it's an explosion in a feather pillowcase when they kill. One
was caught right above my head one day, quite a thump and then the feathers
floated down.
They normally have a favourite post/perch where they sit to eat their meal
often it's surrounded with feathers and bits of uneaten bird.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

David W.E. Roberts9/4/04 2:22

Hi,

about a week or so back, one morning whilst glancing out of the window from
across the room, I saw what looked like an explosion in a pigeon factory -
feathers everywhere and rising in the wind to blow over towards our garden.

By the time I got to the window for a good look, there were just a few
drifting feathers.

I assumed 'something' had got a pigeon, but probably not on the ground
because of the height of the cloud of feathers.

Today, looking out on our lawn, there is a cluster of pigeon feathers but no
pigeon.

They weren't there about an hour ago.

That's a dead give away for a sparrow hawk - that 'explosion' as you
describe and finding nothing but feathers.
I don't know where they take their prey to consume it but I do know that a
pigeon fancier told us that they eat the bird through its body and while
it's still alive.
Jane Ransom warned me when we tried to keep white doves and she was right.
Not only will sparrow hawks take a bird in this way, they will sit close by,
waiting for an opportunity. Our local hawk perched on top of the dovecote
(which was covered with netting for several feet around to home the birds)
and pounced on one pinning it down *through* the netting.
snip
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 14:22:09 +0100, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote:


So methinks we may have a hawk.

I presume that something which will take a full sized pigeon will be larger,
and hunt from a greater height.

A hen Sparrow Hawk will take pigeons. They hunt flying low and fast
over or along hedges, through trees etc. The strike is lightning fast
and deadly - the prey doesn't know what hit it.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

In article , Rod rodcraddoc
writes
On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 14:22:09 +0100, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote:

So methinks we may have a hawk.

I presume that something which will take a full sized pigeon will be larger,
and hunt from a greater height.

A hen Sparrow Hawk will take pigeons. They hunt flying low and fast
over or along hedges, through trees etc. The strike is lightning fast
and deadly - the prey doesn't know what hit it.

In a couple of years, the sparrow hawks, who moved into the area after
years of being sparrow hawk free, did for a flock of 30 white doves a
neighbour had. In the end it even used to follow them into the dovecot
to catch them. As there are no doves left, it is now starting on the
swallows in the farmer's barn (((((((
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason, put ransoms
at jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see

On Fri, 09 Apr 2004 18:18:34 +0100, Rod
wrote:

~On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 14:22:09 +0100, "David W.E. Roberts"
wrote:
~
~
~So methinks we may have a hawk.
~
~I presume that something which will take a full sized pigeon will be larger,
~and hunt from a greater height.
~
~A hen Sparrow Hawk will take pigeons. They hunt flying low and fast
~over or along hedges, through trees etc. The strike is lightning fast
~and deadly - the prey doesn't know what hit it.
~

I wish that one could be encouraged to take up residence at our
allotments. I've just spent two days and £20 in timber making proper
framed brassica cages to stop the blasted pigeons from day 1.

They got all my broccoli last year before they got more than a few
leaves. Not this year!!!!


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

The message
from "David W.E. Roberts" contains these words:

Today, looking out on our lawn, there is a cluster of pigeon feathers but no
pigeon.

They weren't there about an hour ago.

The cats don't show any sign of pride in finally catching a piddy, and if
they have they have concealed the corpse very well and forgotten it very
quickly.

So methinks we may have a hawk.

We could do with one - there are a ridiculous number of pigeons around this
year and they keep pecking away at our plum trees.

Now wondering, if there is a hawk, where it takes its kill to eat.

Years back I saw one on the back fence with something in one claw, but I
presume they normally repair to somewhere discrete to partake of lunch.

We see Kestrels all the time, hovering over verges.

I presume that something which will take a full sized pigeon will be larger,
and hunt from a greater height.

Do they still hover, or do they drift around like the seagulls, just
looking?

Kestrels hover, but their prey is on the ground, usually small
rodents..they couldn't take anything as big as pigeons.

Sparrow hawks can take small birds the size of tits on the wing (high
speed, high-manoevreability fliers) but don't hover.

Buzzards wheel slowly around the sky on thermals (almost no wing
flapping) and take small animals on the ground, or carrion. They eat the
prey on the ground.

We had doves taken by a peregrine falcon, which picked them off the
roof ridge, carried them to ground some distance away and ate them
there.

They all have to eat. I don't much like seeing sparrow hawks kill small
birds on our birdfeeders, but since I like eating birds too, I'm in no
position to criticise.

About a week ago we saw something really odd; as we drove up our road
early in the morning, a largish bird of prey was sitting in the middle
of the tarmac, on something. It was the size of a buzzard but lighter
coloured on the breast. As we drew up, I realised the bird was not
injured, and not feeding on carrion. It was sitting on an abandoned
glove :-) and took off in a leisurely fashion as we drew up.My guess is,
an escaped/lost hunting hawk of some kind.

Janet

"Janet wrote in message ((snip))

About a week ago we saw something really odd; as we drove up our road
early in the morning, a largish bird of prey was sitting in the middle
of the tarmac, on something. It was the size of a buzzard but lighter
coloured on the breast. As we drew up, I realised the bird was not
injured, and not feeding on carrion. It was sitting on an abandoned
glove :-) and took off in a leisurely fashion as we drew up.My guess is,
an escaped/lost hunting hawk of some kind.


Should have put the glove on and waved it about a bit Janet, may have
acquired a new hobby (no pun intended) or at least something to really keep
the pigeons off your plants. :-)

BTW, Buzzards are exceptionally varied in their colour, some are very light
others quite dark.

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

"........... About a week ago we saw something really odd; as we drove up
our road early in the morning, a largish bird of prey was sitting in the
middle of the tarmac, on something. It was the size of a buzzard but lighter
coloured on the breast. As we drew up, I realised the bird was not injured,
and not feeding on carrion. It was sitting on an abandoned glove :-) and
took off in a leisurely fashion as we drew up.My guess is, an escaped/lost
hunting hawk of some kind ................."

Or just maybe it had finished feeding and all that was left was the
glove.....in which case you had a lucky escape.
--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 23:14:42 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


Should have put the glove on and waved it about a bit Janet, may have
acquired a new hobby (no pun intended) or at least something to really keep
the pigeons off your plants. :-)

Whilst I'm not into the huntin', shootin', fishin' side of country
life, I must admit to feeling quite a thrill when we had a falconer
staying here and I had his buzzard sitting on my arm for a few
moments.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

Rod10/4/04 1:03
om

On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 23:14:42 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


Should have put the glove on and waved it about a bit Janet, may have
acquired a new hobby (no pun intended) or at least something to really keep
the pigeons off your plants. :-)

Whilst I'm not into the huntin', shootin', fishin' side of country
life, I must admit to feeling quite a thrill when we had a falconer
staying here and I had his buzzard sitting on my arm for a few
moments.

For Christmas, we gave my step-daughter a day out with this chap. He hang
glides with his hawks!
http://www.marshallfalcons.co.uk/Home/home.htm

She hopes to take her present on a warmish May or June day!

--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 14:17:51 +0100, Sacha
wrote:


For Christmas, we gave my step-daughter a day out with this chap. He hang
glides with his hawks!
http://www.marshallfalcons.co.uk/Home/home.htm

She hopes to take her present on a warmish May or June day!

What a pressie ;-)
Weed my address to reply

http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

The message
from Rod contains these words:

On Fri, 9 Apr 2004 23:14:42 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


Should have put the glove on and waved it about a bit Janet, may have
acquired a new hobby (no pun intended) or at least something to really keep
the pigeons off your plants. :-)

I seem to be missing your post, Bob. We have a few of those
ring-necked doves here, but no crops problem from them so far. We've
just had to run 50 metres of rabbit netting down the sheep-field rylock
boundary though, to keep out one of the biggest hares I've ever seen in
my life..he's been coming in even during the day, and making free with
me plants :-(


Whilst I'm not into the huntin', shootin', fishin' side of country
life, I must admit to feeling quite a thrill when we had a falconer
staying here and I had his buzzard sitting on my arm for a few
moments.

Me too. The bit I don't care for, is the birds being kept tethered on
a perch, or hooded, when they aren't flying.

Janet.

"Janet wrote in message

I seem to be missing your post, Bob. We have a few of those
ring-necked doves here, but no crops problem from them so far. We've
just had to run 50 metres of rabbit netting down the sheep-field rylock
boundary though, to keep out one of the biggest hares I've ever seen in
my life..he's been coming in even during the day, and making free with
me plants :-(

It's one of the lucky things about our allotments, two families of Foxes and
possibly a feral ferret (caught on CCTV), means no rabbits or hares


The bit I don't care for, is the birds being kept tethered on
a perch, or hooded, when they aren't flying.


Quite, nothing like seeing these birds flying free and doing their thing
without a care in the world (even if it does mean you get covered in
feathers etc on occasion.) :-)

--
Regards
Bob

Use a useful Screen Saver...
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
and find intelligent life amongst the stars

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 17:39:15 +0100, Janet Baraclough..
wrote:


Me too. The bit I don't care for, is the birds being kept tethered on
a perch, or hooded, when they aren't flying.

I don't like that aspect of it - I like my wildlife wild, but I was
thrilled at the opportunity of looking this 'nearly' wild bird in the
eye at close quarters.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html