Thursday 18 June 2009

Sparrowhawk

My Great Uncle Bob, who died 6 years ago, was a very keen birdwatcher with a big video camera.We were going through his videos a couple of days ago and came across this footage of a sparrowhawk at a song thrushes nest - amazing isn't it?

Me and my dad went to Holywell Pond yesterday with the other wardens for a guided birdwatching event organised by NWT. It was a really good evening and a big thank you to Mike and the other birders for hosting it and keeping everyone right on their birds - fantastic.

8 comments:

  1. Jack, thats a top class video, the quality is tremendous, and capturing some behaviour I certainly had never heard of. Great stuff!

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  2. That's amazing footage, i've never heard of any behaviour like that from a sparrowhawk ever before, its really really interesting, thank you for sharing it. Cheers Cain

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  3. Excellent and informative video Jack. Cheers Brian.

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  4. Hi jack
    im making a film about sparrowhawks and would be a great honour to put your uncle bobs footage in it crediting it to him .

    sadly my uncle died recently who loved birds ,i puyt cams on his birds so he could spend the last few months of his life watching what he loved.

    my web site is www.sparrowhawk-island.co.uk

    if you would like to watch live i can give you a free password.

    contacts on my web site.

    Dave.

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  5. That is one awesome video - incredible!
    www.ebirder.net

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  6. Thanks for your comments everyone.

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  7. I've heard of sparrowhawks taking woodpigeon young from the nest - an extension of predating fledglings, and relatively easily explained as WP nests are often relatively exposed.

    The video is interesting but I would urge a bit of caution here, as the nest may have been made more exposed, to aid filming? In photography and filming codes of practice this is discouraged for obvious reasons and can make nests more vulnerable to predation.

    Obviously we can't be certain but if this footage is given wider exposure this will be picked up on.

    Thanks

    Conor

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  8. conor your bonkers ,if u think this was set up av a go yer self u will b there till your dead
    and not acheive it.

    DC.

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