Hi All,
Near sunset yesterday, beside a sheltered bike path not far
from Rivett Primary School I found a grey bird
eating another grey bird. At first glimpse I’d have imagined a
cannibalistic Crested Pigeon. As I approached, it took flight, rather hampered
by its prey which seemed almost as large as it did. It settled in a
conveniently low branch of a nearby tree about 4 metres away and watched me, so
I was able to study it through the bins. As I approached even closer it
laboured off, still hanging on to its victim.
Pizzey says of the Collared Sparrowhawk: “Widespread,
uncommon or seldom recognised”. I confess that I could have seen an
unhampered one of these any number of times and not recognised it as it was
pretty small and sort of innocent looking by raptor standards.
Sue Beatty
