Guest IB Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 Had some pairs out today, first my birds have been out for a while. Out there with them all time except for a minute when I went to front door, then heard crows kicking up a racket, knew what that meant, went to front gate and saw the crows were on my roof, looking at something in my back garden. Charged back through house, few dozen crows all around making a right racket, some perched, some airborne, and 3 of my birds in sky, though not high as I would have expected? Quick headcount 4 birds out, but only 3 in sky, scouted back garden, a lot of wing covert feathers there, and a tail feather all along front of loft, but no bird, no bop, no nothing. Also got the 3 birds to come down no bother, leaving a 3 y-o chequer hen missing. She turned up 5 hours later, approx one hour before nightfall. She's taken a hit on one wing, cover feathers missing, but what did it? Thought she'd been carried off but would need to be some size of bop to do that. And I'd been out there until a minute beforehand and saw nothing suspicious.
Guest bakes Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 could be sparrow hawk goshawk or could be cat mate mine main thought would be pob bud as due to the crows warning calls one thing i always keep an eye out for when i see a group of crows specially when there maeking a right racket and the garden birds shoot into cover i no sparrow hawk or goshawks about 9 x out of ten i see it in a few minutes up hunting all the best.
pjc Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 perry or gos, unless hit by SH and escaped before being pinned to ground!
Guest Freebird Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 Think more than likely a hen sparrow hawk has had her to the ground after stealthing her from loft roof and the wee hen has escaped (maybe with some help from the good old craws) and went under cover or just outflew it. Is she injured? Hope she is ok. It only takes one second and it is usually when you've nipped indoors for something.
billt Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 Sounds like sparrowhawk, the goshawk can pick up and carry a bird, but I don't think it would escape
hepste Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 I would guess a sparrowhawk. From my own experience, a goshawk has always killed with it's initial strike. A sparrowhawk, almost grapples the bird to the ground. No doubt this pigeon has got away, and taken cover until she is satisfied the coast is clear. From my own exprience, when they've come that close to being hawk food they are never the same, as the trauma is too much.
Guest mr mrs arnold sons Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 i have a family of crows in the treees by my lofts and they have been there for years and i would not be with out them they never bother my birds and they keep all preditors away. best thing to have at the bottom of the garden.
grizzal Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 we had ahit today on the youngbirds,let them out walked up the garden they went everywhere,i turn around hawk had 1 pinned on the ground lucky i was there yb got away,but 3 missing out of 20.
owen101 Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 lost my first yb from a attack today a mealy dont think i will see it agan
Guest bakes Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 sorry to hear this paul owen scares the liveing daylights out of them after an attack by hawk or falcon hope they work back on in for you both. all the best.
Guest IB Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 Thanks for the replies. Crows here usually shepherd any bop away, the wild birds usually give warning that something is on the prowl, so was really annoyed that bop made it into the garden without any prior warning being given, even resident cock robin was stood in my hedge looking back at me after the hit. Resident blackies were nowhere to be seen. Watched couple of crows last Saturday, harrying a buzzard, this buzzard was lot lower than usual, and seemed fixed on a fairly large area as if it had spotted something on ground, and kept coming back and making to go down. A clubmate's pigeons were out at time, they were well above it, still gave it a wide berth tho, but I think his other birds may have been on the loft, and the loft was in the general area that this buzzard was scouting, wondered at time if hunger had made buzzard change tactics, was it now stalking live stuff on the ground? So for 5 hours wondered if a buzzard had carried my bird off. Loft has an apex roof, birds were last seen sitting on apex, this pair were at far end furthest from house, I've had one similar attack there 2/3 years ago, reckon that sparrowhawk came from air. When I saw it, it had bird pinned to ground in front of the loft, more or less where the feather trail started for this strike.
Guest wattle Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 a hen sparrow hawk took one of mine right out of the sky today and both of them fell about one hundred feet down to the ground into a farmers field, fisrt time i ever saw this happen,big mistake for the hawk,as i was waiting when the hit the ground.
carlsberg Posted March 4, 2010 Report Posted March 4, 2010 i had 2 strikes today 1st hit was from a sparrowhawk and the 2 hit was percy 3 birds injured and 2 missing from 10
Guest wattle Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 this week so far peregrine strike monday,then sparrow hawk yesterday, and another peregrine strike today,this is getting crazy, and it,s not the same peregrine that came monday.
Guest stb- Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 WHEN THERE IN KILLING MODE NO CROWS WILL KEEP THEM AWAY .. THEY GO INTO STEALTH MODE > > >
Guest Freebird Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 WHEN THERE IN KILLING MODE NO CROWS WILL KEEP THEM AWAY .. THEY GO INTO STEALTH MODE > > > Correct. They'll come in low as possible but the crows will shout if they see them.
Roland Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 WHEN THERE IN KILLING MODE NO CROWS WILL KEEP THEM AWAY .. THEY GO INTO STEALTH MODE > > > Yes, and in a harsh winter, or hungry thay make short thrift of them for breakfast.
Guest stb- Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 Yes, and in a harsh winter, or hungry thay make short thrift of them for breakfast. I have seen the percy come in and the crows dont make a sound when its in for the kill they dont want to be breakfast me thinks.
Guest wattle Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 it,s all out war, i tell you war, me again bops. ;D ;D ;D
owen101 Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 lost my first yb from a attack today a mealy dont think i will see it agan i got my mealy yb back this morning first light well happy
doomanbev Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 this week so far peregrine strike monday,then sparrow hawk yesterday, and another peregrine strike today,this is getting crazy, and it,s not the same peregrine that came monday. where about in rosscomon are you m8 im in the ballina club, first race last year was the race track in rosscoman , soon as birds was out hit by percy never got none :) came up from the old castle not going back again all the best
tony austin Posted March 5, 2010 Report Posted March 5, 2010 i came home from work today and found that bop had killed one of my fantails.a battle that i will win.
Guest wattle Posted March 7, 2010 Report Posted March 7, 2010 where about in rosscomon are you m8 im in the ballina club, first race last year was the race track in rosscoman , soon as birds was out hit by percy never got none :) came up from the old castle not going back again all the best mind your own business, ;D
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