Nature, Red In Tooth And Claw Close To Home

I was sitting on the sofa working on my laptop when I glanced up and saw a raptor on my front lawn.

I slithered from the couch and wriggled on my tummy across the room, carefully grabbing my camera from the table on the way. Luckily it had my 400mm lens on. I headed for the patio doors, keeping low and using a bookcase for cover. I had to shoot at an oblique angle through the double glazing, which was running with rivulets of rain. The first couple of pics I took were more bookcase than bird of prey. I managed the above shot and then it saw me and flew off with the remains of what I think was a pigeon. Not a great pic because of the conditions but it pleased me. :)

I've seen sparrowhawks before but not close or still, only when they have slipped from my eye-corner, as Ted Hughes has it. I thought at first it was a kestrel but they have dark eyes. Both the sparrowhawk and the kestrel have stripy breeches.

I'm wondering whether this might be a female? Evidently they are 25% larger than the males and do take pigeons.

Anyway it was all very exciting. One doesn't have to leave home to appreciate nature. I bought two books on this theme when my children were young. I got Nature close To Home by Joy Spoczynska in the WH Smith book sale for 25p and we liked Bellamy's Backyard Safari.