Sparrowhawk rescue 01

Sparrowhawk  Accipiter nisus

 Forest of Dean, UK.  July 2010

Sparrowhawk 04

In July 2010 I came across a very young Sparrowhawk on a woodland path in the Forest of Dean, obviously having fell from the nest. I tried to locate the nest but couldn't and was in a dilemma whether or not to leave the youngster alone and hope the adult was aware of it and fed it, or take it to my friend Vincent Jones at my local bird of prey rehabilitation centre.  Just as I decided to leave the youngster to its fate in a dense and seemingly unvisited stand of conifer, a dogwalker with 3 Jack Russells came along.   Fate delt its hand and I took it to Vince. 

Sparrowhawk 01

Sadly the youngster died soon after. But I was intrigued to find where it came from.  The next day I did, only to discover its 2 siblings had fledged and were looking strong and very much bigger.  Had the unfortunate youngster been the runt of the litter and dispatched out of the nest by the adult or a sibling?   Vince thought it had digestive issues, and may explain its lack of growth, but I doubt I will ever know for sure.  This is a very common and rather distressing side of life in the wild, but I am still happy to know that at least some youngsters made it.   I will be hoping to photograph the adults soon, as they are known to stay in an area and maybe even use the same nest again next year....

I went back the next year to discover that the Forestry Commission had felled the tree and destroyed the nest with the birds still present.

Of course I complained to them, but I got the usual nonsense excuses such as blaming it on the contractors.

This disgusting act is not uncommon here due mainly to wildlife being secondary to profiting from wood sales.

Sparrowhawk rescue 02

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