Week 23 21-09-2014 Birds Spotted: 1

This weekend was one where work inevitably got in the way, so I was unable to do as much birding as I wanted to. I did manage a quick trip to Hengistbury Head. I was aiming to capture photos of some of the birds I'd seen, but not taken photographs of last week. While I didn't see any blackcaps or Whitethroats I did manage to spot one of them!

Sparrowhawk
This pretty much made the trip for me. The first Sparrowhawk I saw last week was quite distant, so it was great to spy one that was a little closer to me this time. It gets its name because it main prey is Sparrows, Finches and other small birds. I'm pretty sure this was a female bird due to its colouring, but would be happy to be corrected.
Sparrowhawks are one of the UK's most widespread raptors, although its 35,000 breeding pairs see it trailing both the Buzzard and Kestrel. It does look like a bulky Kestrel in flight, but its flight patterns soon give it away. This one was flying near to the visitor's centre, before heading off in the direction of the woods. No doubt on the look out for a tasty treat.

It's a heavy crop but the wing colouration and size suggest a female bird.

Another shot, this time a 50% crop.

So that's it for another week. I'm now up to 114 photographed birds with 158 left to find. Here's hoping I get a bit more time to go out next weekend.

I saw this drake Teal on my walks.

A small group were startled by some walkers.

While another returned to the field I was standing in.

Collard Doves were plentiful.

I spied a couple of distant Greenfinches.

Spied a low flying Magpie.

And what I'm assuming is a black-headed gull.

I spotted a well-hidden Jay on one of the trails.

And a very noisy Dunnock.

Little Egrets and Redshanks were out with the tide.

While a Black-Headed Gull pretty much ignored me.