Tags
birds, Dordogne, France, hawks, Nature, Nature Photography, sparrowhawk
Yesterday a sparrow-hawk crashed into the kitchen window at the same moment as a cat was prowling beneath it. We ran outside after the huge bang on the window. The cat was streaking across the flowerbed and was further dispatched with various curses. I picked up the hawk who must have had a serious headache, and put him on the grass. He looked pretty poorly and we thought he wasn’t going to make it but after ten minutes he gave himself a shake and flew off into the woods. I had very mixed feelings, knew I’d done the right thing, but at the same time I hate the damn bird who was obviously trying to pick off the blue-tits who feed on the sunflower seeds on the kitchen windowsill. Last spring he took a blue-tit from beside the bird table right in front of me as I sat in the garden, and I swore if I could get a hold of him I’d ring his neck! When it came to it and he was lying there helpless I felt bound to assist him. He’ll probably be back, but a row of twiggy hazel branches have now been inserted in front of the window to mess up his flight path. I know he has to eat too but I’d rather he went to someone else’s garden! Had we not been in yesterday no doubt the cat would have finished him off, plus he then escaped the wrath of the protector of the blue-tits! Definitely a doubly lucky day. I have to say he is a beautiful bird with the most wonderful eyes (I grabbed the camera while he was recuperating).
Joyce Davidson said:
Well he certainly is a pretty bird with all his spotted front etc. Glad you didn’t dispatch him you big ole softy. I am not as quick to murder anything any more and thankfully the cat and dog dispatch the mice. lol jmd
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Jude said:
Thanks Sis!
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pix & kardz said:
oh, i do like happy endings – even for the big bad bird that actually looks quite adorable.
thanks for sharing this story – and hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
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Pete Hillman said:
Super photos of the hawk, Jude! It certainly was lucky!
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Jude said:
Thanks Pete, it was also probably the only chance of grabbing a few pics of a sparrowhawk – which was also lucky!
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morristownmemos by Ronnie Hammer said:
Your mixed feelings are understandable. I think your action was admirable, despite your personal feelings about the bird’s probable intentions. I had a similar issue that I wrote about on my blog, Morristownmemos.wordpress.com. It’s about mice…
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Jude said:
I carried it around feeling darned angry for a while, but deep down I knew I had to let it go. A funny type of conflict!
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tiramit said:
Wonderful to be so close to nature there in France where there doesn’t seem to be much of the cold dark winter of the North, n’est-ce pas?
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Jude said:
It’s quite cold Tiramit, and wet today too, and there are a hundred little birds having breakfast on the bird table and the windowsill. I hope the hawk is away somewhere nursing his sore head!
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Ladybuggz said:
Very commendable Jude! I’ve rescued many a hurt or lost animal and I would of done the same thing…I had a Hummingbird crash into my window last week..they were chasing each other, thankfully no one was injured but I would taken good care of it…I saw a video of a dog that rescued a hummingbird and the people brought it inside and nursed it back to health and now have a tame Hummingbird flying around their house for almost a year now…now I want one!! lol… T. 🙂
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Jude said:
I have a Buddha in my garden … he wouldn’t let me bonk that bird on the head!
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Ladybuggz said:
lol… that’s kind of funny Jude! I wouldn’t either, I’m a fixer not a killer! 🙂
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rommel said:
Oh yeah, that is too beautiful just to ignore. Kudos Jude.
Merry Merry Christmas!!!
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Jude said:
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year to you Rommel. Looking forward to following your travels in 2017! 🙂
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heretherebespiders said:
Hmm, well since a window isn’t natural, you did the right thing by not letting kitty eat the bird. And we got to see lovely pictures, too. Happy Christmas!
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Jude said:
Probably the only time I’ll ever get close enough to that bird to take its picture! Happy Hols to you too!
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Amy said:
Love the happy ending, Jude! Great capture of this special bird. 🙂
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Jude said:
An easy capture Amy since he was still too wobbly to fly, and an unusual and fortunate photo opportunity!
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