the birds

I’m sure you’ve all seen this Hitchcock horror epic?

Well on Sunday an act from it was relived in my house.  It was a lovely day here in South Wales (Google “rare earth event”) so we had the conservatory doors wide open to let air through the house.

I’m sure you can imagine my surprise when a bird flew straight through these open doors and headfirst into the window at the other end of the conservatory.  Thinking something like a robin or a finch had flown in I immediately got up to investigate only to find a terrifying and terrified young sparrowhawk flying around the house.

It’s not often you come so close to such a beautiful bird and as I tried to help him find the way out I captured him on my camera phone.  I can assure you that regardless of his “pose” below he was entirely unharmed and eventually managed to fly out at great speed and straight through the gate to the back garden before soaring away.

I feel privileged to have seen him so closely and lucky that he did not sink his talons into my skin!