It’s a sparrowhawk.
I know that sparrow hawks are beautiful birds, but I wish they wouldn’t do this! We have a ‘resident’ one that visits some mornings near to 08:30. It’s had wood pigeons, but more usually white pigeons and collared doves. Oh, and black birds. I have been known to sit in the garden as a deterrent, as, if I sit quietly, the other birds largely ignore me and get on with their meal. One day, the sparrow hawk, with a starling in its mouth, swooped over our roof into the garden. I yelled and waved my arms about and the starling escaped. I don’t know who was more surprised! I wonder what the neighbours thought! I so hope that our feeding the birds vs the sparrow hawk victims allows more to flourish than die.
Hi Susan , I also have a resident sparrowhawk and I love watching him hunt as at the end of the day he has to eat aswell. Its really us that's responsible for the sprawks hunting in our gardens as when we put out the feeders which attracts lots of birds we are making it easier for the sprawks to get a meal. So as much as you believe you were doing the right thing trying to rescue that starling, it may have already been injured and just meant the sprawk had to waste more time and energy to hunt again for another meal . Just gotta let them do their thing, circle of life and all that
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)