Swift Half update - 25th November 2010

Click any photo (twice) to enlarge




• A bit of an incredible morning in the garden this morning - with a female sparrowhawk terrorising the feeding birds - twice.




• On one of her fly-bys -a terrified blue tit escaped her talons by getting into the caged peanut feeder, where it became trapped unfortunately.




• In the shots above, the "rustic" looking peanut feeder has a trapped blue tit inside (not that you'll see that from these photos).




• The female hawk became very interested in peanuts briefly, but worked out pretty quickly that she couldn't break into the feeder - and even if she did, two blue tit breasts wouldn't be worth the effort.




• She flew off and about an hour later came back to explode the birds from the garden again (I'd freed the blue tit by then).




• A beautiful bird and a pleasure to see in the garden, always.




• Couven (our strong hen) alarm-called for about 5 minutes during the hawk attacks and talking of our hens, poor old cutlery really is under the weather now. Light as a feather, very slow, no energy at all - I've tried everything with her - but now I'm not sure she'll make it to christmas.




• As I type this, I have her inside, in the warm, in a box with her favourite warm mash and cold fresh water. She's eaten and drank and now she's asleep. Cross your fingers grapple fans...