Sparrow Hawk (again)

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glojo

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There I was minding my own business watching World Super bikes when our resident sparrow hawk dropped in for a visit and to dry off. It was quite funny as directly underneath the hawk is the bird feeder. Whilst this bird was sunning itself, a stupid chaffinch thought he would come down for his lunch!!! Luckily for this finch, he saw the hawk seconds before the hawk saw him. The finch aborted his approach, the hawk made a half hearted attempt at an intercept, but quickly settled back onto his perch. I managed to take some beautiful pictures (not of the finch attack) but please accept these are taken from my bed, across the room and through double glazing.

hawk.jpg


hawk1.jpg


I think this is the same bird I 'snapped' last year in our bird bath. Strange how I like these, but hate with a vengeance the blooming magpies.

John the snapper
 
I'm sure that's a plastic decoy one John...
 
Hey John ....

Saw this bad boy in our garden the other day ... Angela puts broken up fat balls in the tub for the fat woodpigeons that can't get on the feeder ...

Up he strolls, cool as custard , eats for a bit and then grabs the feeder and strolls off with it ....

This is at about 2 pm !! :eek:

I was ready to pop a cap in his a$$ , but Angela said 'Awwww..... we can buy another bowl .....' :devil:

foxy.jpg


foxy2.jpg
 
Crikey Howard that poor critta certainly looks like it could do with some Devon Clotted Cream :)

I took this picture in January of this year:

Basilb.jpg


and this one yesterday evening:

basil1.jpg


We are fortunate in having a set of badgers in the waste ground at the bottom of the garden. They are beautiful to watch, but play havoc with the lawn.

Regards
John
 
Hummingbird??

I'm having a picture moment.

Many apologies to those that do not appreciate pictures of our wild life.

We have removed the usual feeder and installed this one whilst the other feeder is being cleaned. As I stated earlier I hate magpies, but they have figured out how to hover and pinch our bird seed. The picture is taken at 1000th of a second and froze the flapping wings:

Hummingbird.jpg
 
I think he's probably a young one ... got that look about him ....

That magpie picture is incredible John !!
 
John - stunning pic's - especially that Magpie:rock:

Howie - your fox doesnt look at all well - very scrawny:(
 
I hate those blooming magpies, but they do look pretty. What amazes me is that they come to the feeder and catch adult finches! I was amazed the first time I saw it, I'm fully aware of how they eat young chicks or flkedglings, but fit birds that are feeding?? :mad: :mad: :mad:

I hate magpies :) :)

John the snapper
 
Tree Rat

This afternoon the weather cleared up and we had the patio door open:

rodent.jpg
 
What camera are you capturing these on John?
 
What lens J?
Hi Robert,
It's a Nikon F2.8 70 - 200mm zoom. These pictures are from 5mb'ish jpeg's so the detail is a bit lacking. I should really increase the resolution.

Regards
John

Edit: sorry Graham missed your question, it is a Nikon D200 but as stated the great majority of my pictures are taken from my bed, through a double glazed patio door. I am NOT getting the full potential from this camera.
 
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Definitely the last one:

If I have posted too many could a moderator pm me and I'll bump a few off?

rodent1.jpg


Please don't get me wrong, but if anyone wants a copy of these pictures in a bigger format, then please send me a pm with your e-mail address. This last one is slightly magnified.

Regards
John the snapper

Edit: :) had to check the ISO, I'm no expert regarding photography but your spot on 400
 
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Post as many pictures you have hosted yourself as you like John.
 
Beautiful pictures John you have a pm.

Andrew
 
You have a unique way of capturing wild like John, long may it last for the benefit of those who so enjoy it. Like me :D
 
Stunning photos John, you wouldn't be able to tell they had been taken through double glazing.
I dislike Magpies too. (No not just because I'm from Sunderland ;) and a Mackem)
In my garden, they seem to kill the smaller birds just for the internal organs :(
 
Great Pictures John.
I too hate Magpies - they drive our 2 pug dogs mad.. I've seen the magpies actively torment the dogs swooping & chattering at them . The dogs have quite bulberous eys with little protection so I do worry that the nasty pie birds migh be tempted to have a peck at them.
 
so I do worry that the nasty pie birds migh be tempted to have a peck at them.
I sympathise and I suppose there is a slight possibilty. A pair of theses horrible vultures :eek: were fighting on our lawn this afternoon and I must confess to not making any attempt to stop them. 'Orrible, 'orrible things.

John
 

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