Late this afternoon I looked in our garden and saw a wood pigeon sized bird sitting on the fence eating a bird - then on the grass was all the evidence, it was eating our resident collared dove which used to live in a nest in our old apple tree..
Got out the binoculars, and bird book - the closest we could identify in the book is a Merlin Falcon, however the bird had dark yellow / orange eyes, and Merlins seem to have black eyes. I've attached the best pictures I could take through the conservatory window.
I thought it could be a sparrowhawk, however it was definitely rusty coloured on the chest and lower face... Can anyone say for sure what it is?
Location WD6 4QB Date: 24/04/12 18:30
Hi David. It's a male Sparrowhawk. :-)
Thanks - just googled Male Sparrowhawk, and you are right :)
Hi David. All European falcons have dark eyes which is a useful clue when sorting out birds of prey. In the UK Merlins have, so far, tended to avoid urban areas and remain our rarest breeding falcon. This time of year nearly all will have returned to their moorland breeding sites.
JBNTS
both sparrowhawks and collared doves are doing well in Greater London. Thankfully it wasn't feasting on one of our declining or threatened species such as house sparrow, blackbird or starling. If you're looking out for birds in your garden, you should soon swifts. They've been spotted crossing the channel but I haven't yet had any confirmation of them arriving in London - www.rspb.org.uk/london
Merlin for comparison (January 2009)
Incidentally a male Merlin was seen at the Lodge the other day.
Hopefully most Merlins are out on the moors on breeding territories at this time,although we did have a male chasing the linnets on a nearby lowland reserve last week.