Sparrowhawk sighting gets birdwatch off to a flying start

RSPB’S BIG GARDEN CAMPAIGN BEGINS THIS MONTH

MY garden in suburban north Manchester was the scene of a violent death last weekend – but the RSPB say the sparrowhawk attack is cause for celebration.

The sighting of a rare predator is confirmation of a thriving bird eco-system in Whitefield.

The tiny oasis at the back of our 1930s semidetached has already seen an amazing influx of resident birds getting on with their main winter business – eating.

Blue, great, coal and long-tailed tits are daily visitors along with goldfinches, greenfinches, bullfinches, and a nuthatch seduced by sunflower seeds.

But last weekend the sparrowhawk took the chance to pounce.

It swooped on a pigeon and immediately triggered a chorus of alarm calls which bounced from one species to another around the street.

The small birds of prey are adapted for hunting birds in confined spaces like dense woodland, so gardens are ideal hunting grounds for them.

It fed on the pigeon for 10 minutes before returning later in the day to the carcass.

The spectacle was raw nature, which I managed to capture on film. Annabel Rushton, from the RSPB Northern England, said: “It is really exciting to see a sparrowhawk in your garden.

“They are a stunning bird and their agility and speed when catching their prey make them very impressive to watch.

“Sparrowhawks have had mixed fortunes over the years due to a loss of their natural woodland habitat, persecution and contamination from the pesticide DDT. “Although they are still affected by a lack of suitable habitat and food today, they have thankfully started to recover due to a ban on DDT and better legal protection. “It may be upsetting for some to see the small birds you have attracted being taken by a sparrowhawk but as a top predator in the garden food chain, seeing them is a really encouraging sign that you have a thriving mini-ecosystem in your very own back garden.” This month the RSPB is hoping thousands of people across Greater Manchester will count their garden birds for its Big Garden Birdwatch 2018. During the event on January 27, 28 and 29 people are asked to spend just one hour watching and recording the birds in their garden then send their results to the RSPB.

Only birds that land in the garden should be counted, not those flying over.

Close to half-a-million people joined in the world’s largest garden wildlife survey in 2017, including more than 12,200 in Greater Manchester, counting more than eight million birds and providing valuable information about the wildlife using our gardens in winter.

The house sparrow remained the most common in rankings in the county, with blackbird and starling rounding off the top three.

But there were rarities too, including a bumper year for waxwing with its crest and exquisite cocoa-brown colour, and in Chorlton ring-necked parakeets.

Ahead of the birdwatch there are several events taking place in Greater Manchester.

On Saturday, January 27, RSPB staff will be on hand at Clifton Country Park in Salford and Heaton Park in Manchester with tips on taking part and advice on attracting garden wildlife. Drop in between 10am3pm.

On the same day, at the same times, they will also be at Fletcher Moss in Didsbury.

On Sunday, January 28, RSPB staff will be at Chorlton Water Park from 10am to 3pm.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB conservation scientist, said: “The birds we see in our garden are often the first experience we have with nature – whether it’s a flock Annabel Rushton, RSPB Northern England