Falcon attack on Sparrowhawk

["Philip Veerman" <>]

About an hour ago, having stepped outside for the first time today, I saw a Sparrowhawk (I think an adult male) over my place flying tight circles quite high and getting higher using a lot of energy and slowly going westwards. It had its feet down and probably carrying some small prey. I watched for about a minute. Approximately over Lia Battisson's house or maybe a bit further away, what was clearly Peregrine Falcon (that I had not noticed till then), stooped on it then continued straight down. It appeared to take the Sparrowhawk by surprise as it only did an abrupt change of direction after presumably being hit, but it was so fast, that I don't know. Certainly the shape of both birds changed a lot as their trajectories met. I suspect that the Peregrine probably continued down to catch whatever prey the might have been carrying (if dropped).

Philip