Cromwell Bottom 23/11/07

Morning all
Nothing unusual around this morning for me and Les. Usual suspects around in some numbers this morning and we did have very clear close views of a Great Crested Grebe on the shallows near the pontoon bridge between Tag & Brookfoot Loop but nothing out the ordinary.

I had a great view of a male Sparrowhawk on my way back up the canal towpath. I spotted two birds belting through the woods between the river and canal and realised the lead bird was a male sparrowhawk with a dead bird (thrush sized but impossible to tell which species) clutched in its claws with a Magpie in hot pursuit obviously trying to get it to drop the bird. Neither bird made a sound. I went off to investigate to see if I could find the hawk and victim but no joy in the thick scrub. I did scare off the Magpie so I assume the hawk was nearby but the undergrowth was too think to see anything. Why is it that Hawk plucking posts are always out in the open according to the books but usually in thick scrub when you actually get to look for them !