SPARROWHAWK ACCIPITER NISUS (L.) STALKING PREY ON FOOT

Paul Whitehead

At 0800 hrs on 10 February 2003, a fit, highly-coloured male Sparrowhawk chanced upon a female Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (L.) feeding on a bird table here in Little Comberton. The Blackcap flew into a mahonia growing against the wall of the house and the Sparrowhawk landed on an adjacent wall-trained ivy, shortly afterwards flying down onto a flagged area beneath the mahonia. The Sparrowhawk proceeded to walk unhurriedly beneath the mahonia, all the time looking upward into it, eventually clambering up onto its low branches. This plant, a cultivated form known as Mahonia 'Charity', has also been wall-trained, and covers an area of approximately 9m2. The Sparrowhawk then methodically clambered throughout the plant for about 90 seconds, presumably attempting either to capture or flush out the Blackcap, a matter in which it failed.

Recalling my own previously documented experiences of a Sparrowhawk successfully taking a Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica L. by closing its wings and tumbling vertically downward through a flock, or of Goshawks Accipiter gentilis (L.) stalling in flight on fanned wings to confuse flocking Collared Doves Streptopelia decaocto (Friv.), is it that accipiters are actively becoming more enterprising and adventurous? Or could it be equally that accipiters, like people, have learnt to associate Blackcaps with mahonias?

P. F. Whitehead, Moor Leys, Little Comberton, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3EH

SPARROWHAWK ACCIPITER NISUS (L.) STALKING PREY ON FOOT

Paul Whitehead

At 0800 hrs on 10 February 2003, a fit, highly-coloured male Sparrowhawk chanced upon a female Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (L.) feeding on a bird table here in Little Comberton. The Blackcap flew into a mahonia growing against the wall of the house and the Sparrowhawk landed on an adjacent wall-trained ivy, shortly afterwards flying down onto a flagged area beneath the mahonia. The Sparrowhawk proceeded to walk unhurriedly beneath the mahonia, all the time looking upward into it, eventually clambering up onto its low branches. This plant, a cultivated form known as Mahonia 'Charity', has also been wall-trained, and covers an area of approximately 9m2. The Sparrowhawk then methodically clambered throughout the plant for about 90 seconds, presumably attempting either to capture or flush out the Blackcap, a matter in which it failed.

Recalling my own previously documented experiences of a Sparrowhawk successfully taking a Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica L. by closing its wings and tumbling vertically downward through a flock, or of Goshawks Accipiter gentilis (L.) stalling in flight on fanned wings to confuse flocking Collared Doves Streptopelia decaocto (Friv.), is it that accipiters are actively becoming more enterprising and adventurous? Or could it be equally that accipiters, like people, have learnt to associate Blackcaps with mahonias?

P. F. Whitehead, Moor Leys, Little Comberton, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3EH