Saw something really cool today

[CassTheFox]

Day off today with my 4 year old so we went for an adventure walk in the woods. Was rather excited to spot this magnificent chap chilling on a tree trunk! 4 year old was thrilled about seeing a “big pigeon” but a quick google lens search says Sparrow Hawk.

Love nature.

Aww, what a very handsome "pigeon"

Ooooh aren't you lucky seeing this Angel so close?! 😃

It is a sparrowhawk @CassTheFox

Great pic ❤️ Nature is cool.
A couple of times this year I've looked out of my kitchen window to see a sparrowhawk in the garden chomping down a pigeon. It's a bit grisly, but at least they are thorough, there's barely even a handful of feathers left behind..!

Fabulous 😍

They do like pigeons.
I once heard an almighty racket in a corner of our drive, when I finally got up to see what the noise was all about, it was a poor pigeon that a Sparrowhawk had pinned to the floor and was ripping bits off!

Amazing! I love birds. A few weeks ago I was delighted to return from the morning school run to find a sparrowhawk right outside my lounge window. Never seen it before (and sadly not seen it since!)

I thought it was a cuckoo at first! 😂

That is so cool. We had one fly through our garden a couple of years ago and it was so striking.

Wow! Yes sparrowhawk the bright yellow eyes are the giveaway! Love this!

Think that’s not a chap but a chapess 😁

But Bundlebuns one does look like a chap

Aw! "Big Pigeon" is a great name for him!

When DD was a toddler we were lucky enough to see a pair of Peregrine Falcons. They were flying around a church steeple and squawking away. DD watched them impassively for a while, then waved and said "Bye, Seagulls."

How can you tell the difference?

awesome

Males are browner striped on the front than females, who are more grey, but it’s also the rufous around the face, males will have that whilst females don’t. Yours might be a young male as it’s not too pronounced - I’m just guessing though I’m not an expert!