Sparrowhawk

                We were thrilled to see this female Sparrowhawk yesterday .
                  At this point I,m hiding behind a bulge in the Cornish hedge .

            It had caught a pigeon , in the lane , right outside  our front gate .
I quietly crept up as close to the Cornish hedge as I could and at the last minute popped as little of myself as I could ......and took as many photos as I could before she flew up into the trees .
  I hid behind our front hedge and waited . She kept returning , but every time I began to creep out again a car would come down and she would fly off again .

 She came back and I crept up again , my heart thumping , one very hungry bird , she let me get quite close .

               I took lots more photos before she flew up and along the lane .....

                                   ........this time carrying her prey .

   Female Sparrowhawks are larger than the male and will go for larger birds , but this is about her limit in how much she can carry in flight .

                       She struggled to carry it a bit further up the lane ....

She landed here and I decided to leave her be and finish her meal in peace .
   Later on we heard much screeching and we realised that we had not one , but a pair of Sparrowhawks trying to get to the Ravens nesting in our tallest pine-tree .
  I took lots more photos but I am afraid they are mostly blurred as these amazing birds fly so fast ! 

   See !  So I wont put anymore of those on .....but I can tell you I stood outside watching all this going on directly over my head !  Just such an amazing sight !

It was quite a spectacle !  The Sparrowhawks are very determined  ,the female sat watching and waiting for an opportunity to swoop in , but the Ravens held their own and defended their territory and nest . I didn't see them get anything from the nest .
    Wow !
                 Anyway ..... it is October already ! 
     The sweep came and swept the chimney and made sure our wood-stove is all clean and safe to use  . In good time too  .  Much rain ....more on the way...thunder and lightening forecast too  !