Close Encounter with a Sparrowhawk

A morning walk around the Mill Lakes produced just one Grey Heron along the near bank, a single Great Crested Grebe, and two Little Grebe at the north end of the lake around the small island made up of an exposed tree root. Three Common Snipe and a Grey Wagtail were on Mud Island and the Pochard group numbered nine in the middle of the lake. The Siskin flock was at the Leen Pastures, with around forty birds present.

Heading back along the Sustrans path near to Reedbed, a female Reed Bunting was in the bramble and flew off towards Reedbed with two other probables. Two Greenfinch were at Dawson's Corner, and a Green Woodpecker was at the western side of the Pit Tip Plantation. Also present here was a flock of forty or so finches feeding in the alder, composed mainly of Siskin. As I watched them move from tree to tree a Sparrowhawk flew straight past at waist height and within reach! It was carrying some blackbird-sized prey back from the Rise Park gardens and into the western side of the main Pit Tip Plantation. Before leaving I also noted a gathering of eight Magpie on the Pit Tip Top.