A Sparrowhawk amongst the Pigeons
We’re at Newton Abbot Quay again for a daily walk. Something has to be done, given the amount of pasta we’re eating.
We’ve brought seeds for the feral pigeons but there are none here. The bridge is empty. I’d like to say that I can’t tell you how unusual that is, but I just have. There’s a small group of them flying round and I begin to wonder what’s spooked them. They’ll often fly when a dog comes near, and given that one in four households has a dog and they’re the households more likely to be out walking, that’s quite frequently.
It occurs to me that it might be a bird of prey that’s worrying them, but there’s no sign.
Here’s today’s pigeon photograph. It’s not one of my best, but just look at that eye:
I’d like to get some flying shots, but they’re all too wary and flying far away. I’m not sure I can better this one, anyway:
I look up and see the silhouette of a different bird high above. It’s a Sparrowhawk:
No wonder the pigeons are nervous. Last time I saw a Sparrowhawk here it was eviscerating a pigeon:
Maybe it’s the same bird? I’ll have to have a closer look.
It looks like it’s having a closer look at me too. There’s a gull higher above having a look at it.
And here’s what it’s really interested in:
That’s got to be my favourite photograph of the day. Time to go home. For more pasta.