Sparrow hawk

[raysparx]

I feel so lucky,I have been sitting in the garden earlier watching a sparrow hawk,swooping down what a sight,have you any birds of prey near you? we have the above plus barn owls,buzzards and all sorts of other wildlife including Badgers.

[Scotman84]

We had a badger last year and i know they are dangerous but we got within a few feet of it and it was a beautiful creature - it took bread and milk from a bowl we put out. Out only problem with sparrowhawks is they keep flying into our windows!! But they come round quite quickly and fly off.

[Lonnie]

Hi ray, Your right to feel lucky, a marvellous sight, I have a seed feeder situated near a Forsythia bush, loads of Sparrows have made their home in it, and the cheeky beggers wait for me to refill the feeder, as soon as I come out theback door, all their heads appear watching me, and every so often, (i've only seen it twice) a Kestral comes down and takes one.

We also have a family of Crows nesting in an ancient Oak at the back of us, and i've seen them attack the Kestral.

[raysparx]

Hi Scotman, I agree with you I love the badgers,they are great to watch,what area are you living in? I am in north Wales. Ray

[raysparx]

Hi lonnie, hope you are well, I love nature,it is my religion, The kestrel is a beautiful bird isn't it. my favourite near us at the moment is a beautiful young barn owl,he sits on a fence post and gives me such a funny look, Take care lonnie,say high to your daughter and give her a kiss for me, Ray

[Scotman84]

Hi Ray - we are in Aberdeen, Scotland. A family of badgers were mistakenly 'de-homed' from a building site nearby and the father made a hole in our garden (nearly 5 feet deep). we looked up all the websites and found that they are protected, but I think we got a little to close and it ran off.

[raysparx]

Hi scotman, the lovely granite city,I love scotland,I used to manage a boys football team and we would come up to dunoon for the cowal tournament, I am from London but have lived in N Wales 26 years, Shame about the badgers you had,they get a bad press but I don't think they spread the diseases they are so shy they don't mix with any other animals do they?

Nice talking to you, Ray

[electricblue]

I don't see b*gger all here,can i come and stay with you ray????

[raysparx]

Hi electric, I was just talking to you somewhere else, of course you can come and stay here it's lovely,only 2 houses in a field, where are you living near? I am just outside Betws-Y -Coed, I love it,so no problem if you could feed maud for me!!! xx

[electricblue]

I'm in norfolk ray,full of houses and noise,thats not where i wanna be,wish i was in the country somewhere,lucky you!!!

[raysparx]

hi electric, Norfolk used to be such a lovely place,has it changed a lot since you have been there?or are you from that area? I know I would not go back to London to live, I love it to visit,but having lived there for over 30 years enough is enough, take care, Ray xx

[electricblue]

Lived here all my life,gonna buy a lottery ticket and cross my fingers!!

[raysparx]

Are you near the Broads? must be a reall busy place in the summer,it is here but winter & spring are great, take care, xx

[raysparx]

Hope you are lucky,would be great for you,where would you go though??

[electricblue]

Slap bang in centre of city more or less,about 15 mile from nearest broad,,,

[electricblue]

Ooops,cross post,dont know ray,just like to be in country somewhere,could still come back and visit family,,

[raysparx]

Are you in Norwich? got a good footy team I like the canaries.

[raysparx]

Got to agree I had never seen a mountain till I came here,only down side is crappy wages,but I have worked for myself for 25 years,so I can take a day off to go fishing now and again,like heaven to me, I am lucky,I know that.

[Cetti]

How wonderful Ray!

There's something about raptors that's scary but you can't take your eyes off them - all gleaming eyes and ferocious talons.

Yesterday as I was hanging out the washing a Buzzard flew over and the last couple of times I've been on a country walk a female Hen Harrier has graced me with her presence - never ever seen a Badger though.

[raysparx]

Hi cetti, the buzzards are big aren't they, a harrier though is a bit special, the badgers are so shy, I follow them sometimes and watch them playing but I have never told anybody where they are, I would hate it if they were disturbed. Ray

[raysparx]

Thank you all that took the time to answer, take care everyone goodnight, Nos Da ( goodnight in welsh)

Ray