A garden first today! Summoned outside by my husband who spotted this glorious raptor by the pond, the cacophony of small birds alarm calling from the surrounding gardens should have caught the attention of all others. Clearly feeling somewhat miffed that he had been disturbed from his drink or bath, he sat and eyeballed us from the fence for a good while afterwards, whilst we tried to respect his distance in the confines of the garden.
We usually see these ambush predators pass by at full speed when in woodland, and I've never been able to appreciate the full colours and talons first hand before. Beautiful amber eyes, matching the colour of his feet almost perfectly, long and penetrating dark talons - a pigeon's nightmare, mottled russet-orange breast and smokey grey uppers, and that hooked beak...
The usually comfortable and trusting garden birds are now being much louder and more vigilant, and I can't blame them... now he's found us, will he be back?
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