Sparrowhawk in the garden

So I'm still watching the daily updates from Bempton and the Green Warbler is still there and giving itself up to most birders that can be bothered to go for it. For some reason I haven't managed to work up the appetite to travel for it which wasn't helped by the first day stories of the crowds, tape luring, encroachment and general poor behaviour and it's just not exciting me in the same way the Albert did. The year has been strange to say the least but the bird is a real rarity and may yet pull me towards the twitch if it continues to hang around but if I'm honest I'm half hoping it moves on to save me the stress of deciding if I do or don't want to see it. 

Anyway to take my mind off the little Green Warbler I've been doing some garden work like cleaning the block pavers and repointing the Indian stone etc and as I stood admiring my work from the kitchen window today I spotted a couple of Magpies alarm calling and assumed a cat was nearby but as I opened the back door I could see they were letting everybody know I had a Sparrowhawk in the garden.

The young hawk had caught a Collared Dove and over the next hour sat at the bottom of the garden and ate the entire catch. Using the cover of shrubs I managed to grab some shots as it consumed it's prey.

I went in and left the bird to finish it's meal but a few hours later it came back and just sat on my fence wings hanging trying to dry out from the heavy rain we've had all day. Again I managed to open a window and grab a couple of images.

A very nice consolation prize for staying home.