What I believe is a Peregrine Falcon came swooping into the back garden yesterday afternoon and tried to grab a dove off the bird feeder. The dove flew in a panic into the picture window and was lying stunned on the ground when I got this picture of the Falcon.
Eventually the stalemate was broken when Missy the dog came out to see what was going on. The Falcon flew away and the dove recovered enough to fly into the window again and then escape. Exciting times in bird town.
Mike F sent me this information:
“What Fun!!!
I think that’s a Cooper’s or a Sharp Shinned Hawk-the two differ mainly in size with the Cooper’s being the larger of the two. These are the “Chicken Hawks”, named for their habit of preying on other birds, including chickens. Peregrine’s also take other birds but have a whiter chin and distinquishing”black Mustache(lores)”
Based on the shape of the tail and the visible banding on it I’m going with Mike’s Coopers Hawk hypothesis.
I’m hoping he’ll come back and I can get another look.
Simon
Howard R just confirmed that my Falcon was a Hawk. He also suggests a Coopers Hawk. So now in the last two days I have been closer to a wild hawk than ever before in my life, I have seen a bird I didn’t even know existed and I’ve been wrong. This bird watching stuff is great.
Simon