Sunday, November 20, 2011

Small and sharp

I spent all day ringing at Castor Hanglands near Peterborough. We caught some nice birds - Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, a lot of retrap Long-tailed Tits (some a couple of years old), and this Sparrowhawk.
Sparrowhawk
Before ringing a Sparrowhawk, you need to know for sure whether it's male or female. Males are much smaller and take a smaller ring than females. So you measure the wing and its leg...
Sparrowhawk
This is a male. Mind those talons!
Sparrowhawk
The feet are ready to grab you at all times...
Sparrowhawk feet
The pointy end! Don't worry about the hooked beak, worry about these
Sparrowhawk + ringer
Happy ringer (see how small the bird is)
Castor Hanglands
The fog never really lifted all day...

photos taken with Canon EOS 30D
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brought to you from Castor Hanglands, Peterborough

2 comments:

  1. John "By Stargoose And Hanglands"10:23 pm

    Thanks for those excellent photos giving views which most of us are never likely to see for ourselves. I really liked the one of the "pointy end"; I'd never realised just how fine the talons were.

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  2. Katie1:25 pm

    Thanks John!

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