Saw a Red Kite over Burgess Hill (near Great Ote Hall) whilst out walking this afternoon - first time I’ve done so.
I have had a regular Sparrowhawk for the last 2-3 years (I assume the same one), but only see it every few weeks and have never actually seen it catch anything, or found any evidence in the garden. I occasionally look out and there are no birds around except for that sitting on top of one of the feeders. I believe they have very wide ranges, so only see it occasionally.
I have had a number of feeders on those feeding station poles around my garden for years. After the first few years of battling squirrels (supposed squirrel proof feeders, lids with wire, greased poles, kids with water pistols etc), I finally invested in proper squirrel baffles and, after moving the feeders away from all the trees, now watch the birds feeding in peace (still have to move the occasional feeder as trees grow). And, as the years go on, I seem to get more and more varieties of birds.
Particular favourites include large flocks of Goldfinches and Long tailed tits, and Woodpeckers hanging upside down on the feeders. I get through huge quantities of Sunflower hearts, Niger seed and Peanuts, but there's very little interest in my fat balls, apart from the long tailed tits. After a while, they start to get gungy and I have to move them to a feeder the Starlings and Jackdaws can get to (they seem to eat anything)..
Well I have seen it catch something now. I've just got back home to find this going on in my back garden.
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These are stills from a video on my phone (Don't know how to upload a video). The greedy bugger is still in the bushes eating although I guess a dove is a rather large meal for a sparrowhawk
RIP Dove
I think you have to upload via YouTube, then bring it over to here.
Oddly my phone did everything for me, which is how I was able to show footage of my pet Bee, Chris, to all the horticulturalists back in the halcyon days of Summer.
We have one of those Cup and Saucer things in the tree,fill it everyday,we like to watch a Robin spends more fighting off a rival than eating. As for the Cup and Saucer when breeding is over will fill it with maggots. Food on your doorstep.