handsome but unwelcome visitor

As usual I have been blundering about the site trying to fine the right place to post this, bet I'm wrong again!

However looked through the window yesterday and saw this, poor pic as through the window. Chased him off afterwards, we have lots of imature birds about.

Hiya Min.

You've post in the right place, a beautiful bird.

It's a pity you don't like them because they eat other birds but he/she may have a nestful of chicks that hasn't eaten for a while.

May not be welcome in your garden but a great number of us would welcome this magnificent bird,catching small birds is natural to him.

Even some of us who like them are nimby's.

I would consider myself privileged to have this wonderful creature in my garden.

Magnificent birds. Congratulations Min - you must have a lot of birds in your garden to attract this hawk. Shame you shoo'd him away though - his own chicks may be hungry.

Many thanks to all who replied. It isn't that I dislike hawks-or indeed any bird-but we have so many young birds about, especially two young robins who are becoming as trusting as their parents, they wait for me every morning to feed them, and come right to my feet, they hop around the yard where the hawk was, several times a day.

Absolutely chase it away!  It's your garden, and it's your decision who is welcome and who isn't. Those who enjoy the spectacle of a young bird being ripped to shreds in front of their eyes - well, obviously enjoy it!!  I, personally, don't!  I do subscribe to the 'well, it's better than a cat getting one' brigade though!

I've had a 'problem' with a buzzard - a couple of times when it was a youngster and several times as an adult and more recently a female sparrowhawk decided to join the party without an invite when it landed on a pigeon and was just about to tuck in when my daughter chased it off - kept coming back though.  Anyway, I've never paused to get a pic, too busy running out to chase it off. Not seen either since the middle of April though.  Also keep a huge water gun by the patio doors for any eventuality lol.  Am keeping black-headed gulls around because they mob the buzzard (and the buzzard doesn't like being covered in seagull 'poo')  and we have ravens who also feed here and they chase away the 'hawk'.  

So if you want to protect the birds that you've grown fond of - then do so and don't feel the need to apologise for it :)

I would like one of these on my area, it would keep down the large numbers of feral pigeons we have here. I keep all my bird food enclosed, so only the smaller birds can access it, but my neighbours just throw bread and seed onto open spaces, which just encourages these greedy poop machines. I wish a bird of prey large enough to tackle pigeons would move in.

Well this time I was going to keep quiet but the bit about Those who enjoy the spectacle of a young bird being ripped to shreds in front of their eyes - well, obviously enjoy it!!  sort of whacked my "Fire" button.

Sparrowhawks visiting my garden and departing with a take-away (it has ony been a couple of occasions) is fine with me but [prepare yourselves for a shock] I don't enjoy the spectacle of a young bird (or even an old bird) being ripped to shreds. I accept it though as predator-prey interactions are as natural as wet Junes and essential to a healthy ecology. To be honest I rather resent the suggestion that being content to accommodate Sparrowhawks makes me some kind of bloodlusting voyeur.

Yes indeed - my back garden is mine, but the birds aren't and neither is the ecosystem they fit into. I choose to lure in with buggy nibbles  Blue Tits and Nuthatches and things and they, in turn, lure in predators. It's not my place to try and dictate how nature conducts itself.  

Sparrow hawks are \part of the bird life you get in the garden.

You must accept this, its nature.

Feeding birds will attract natural preditors, and you can't have one without the other

 Ray

How I agree with the common sense replies by JohnB and Barnsley Lad.  Wild birds are not sentimental about where their dinner comes from - it may be a pretty little bird to us, but to them it's just food, and we have to accept that.