Sparrowhawk chicks, Kite day on Streatham Common

Sparrowhawk chicks and their father feeding them

We had a very clear view of the three Sparrowhawk chicks and their father feeding them this afternoon, I managed to get a photo through the scope, it's  not that clear but at least you can see the white chick feathers.  Later I saw a male sparrowhawk flying over Streatham Tescos - my guess it was this one looking further afield for food to keep his three chicks happy - he looks noticeably slimmer as all his energy is put into the chicks.

Three large Sparrowhawk chicks in their nest

Yesterday in the late afternoon from the side angle approaching the sparrowhawk nest we saw three large white Sparrowhawk chicks - in their nest which now looks very crowded - I am amazed how fast they have grown - they seem to be the size of swan chicks and are very active and wiggly, it was a shame -  as four of us had spent time looking from a different angle and saw very little, then, when Toby and Magda had gone home we shifted our angle and the view into the nest was perfect and there were the three big chicks sitting in a neat row...

Sparrowhawk chick!

Today in Bedford Wood, Tooting Common we saw the first Sparrowhawk chick, very bright white, pop it's head up from inside the nest as the father watched over it, the chick was quite big, like a duck chick, so glad to see evidence of their success at last. My friend Lesley took her powerful scope into the woods so we really got a clear view, as well as a great view of the male with his rusty white chest and sharp yellow eyes, really looking after his offspring so alertly, I've seen him hunting by the pond several times in the last few weeks, and the mother still on the nest as she may  have unhatched eggs, exciting!

Streatham High Road again

It was the hottest day of the year so far today, the mornings are humid but the day seems to get brighter and more summery as it goes on, this week I've seen groups of young men in balaclavas riding four  wheeler motorbikes through Steatham like bad Cowboys, revving and recklessly cutting across the traffic, everyone stops to stare not knowing whether to admire them or be scared...

Saw the Tooting Bec Sparrowhawks in their nest

I saw the Tooting Bec Sparrowhawks in their nest this morning, off to try and spot Green Woodpecker chicks now...belowdecks, The Whitehouse, Norwood Grove, Streatham Common.

Sparrowhawk over Streatham Norwood Grove yesterday

I had a very clear view of a male Sparrowhawk over Streatham Norwood Grove yesterday, it looked like he was hunting swifts, or at least flying quite aggressively around them, below, the cafe on Tooting Bec Common, below that a picture I did 14 years ago after going to Tokyo, I forgot about it completely as it's in a house I used to live in back then.