Just when I thought it was safe

[Trev]

Well up until this week I've only been letting my birds out at the weekends, either a Saturday or a Sunday to try and protect them from the hawk. As racing is now only 4 weeks away, and the fact that I am off work at the moment, I decided to take a chance and try to start getting the birds flying. Monday and Tuesday I let them out for a couple of hours morning and evening, Wednesday I decided to leave them on an open loft. The birds still seem very wary when first coming out and some still aren't keen to come out at all, when they are out they are soon up and flying well so I was starting to feel confident that maybe the hen was down on eggs.
Unfortunately yesterday this confidence was shattered when I went down the garden to check on the birds only to find a trail of blood and Mrs Hawk happily feeding on one of birds

So unfortunately the birds are back on lockdown

[George and Morgan]

so sad

[Buster121]

What a shame Trev, always sad to see

[Andy]

That is horrible Trev. I know you said you saw the hawk in it but a bit unusual for it to eat the head first! I’ve found that generally they eat the back out first.
I lost a late bred cock during the week. On our clubs messenger group I see that some members are having trouble with peregrines around here. A few birds have been lost over the past week.

[Daz71]

Gee's that's not good

[Andy]

Gee's that's not good

One of the biggest threats we have to our pigeons while out of the loft Daz. Birds of prey. Most of a problem at this time of year.

[Daz71]

Bloody hell we have a couple of Buzzards that circle from time to time

[Andy]

Bloody hell we have a couple of Buzzards that circle from time to time

Buzzards, kestrels and red kite aren’t a problem Daz. The Buzzards and Red kite are more carrion, small rodents or game bird chicks. Too slow to catch a pigeon. The pigeons will often chase them away. The Kestral is to small. The ones that are a problem are the Sparrow Hawk, mostly the hen as she is larger than the male, and mainly only a problem around this time of year when she is feeding herself up ready to going to nest. She will knock a pigeon off the loft or catch them on the ground, pin the down and eat them alive. Once airborne the sparrow hawk is no match for a pigeons speed and agility. The Peregrine is our biggest threat as these will catch a pigeon in flight. The will soar high above a flock of pigeons and dive at 200 mph into them. If getting a good hold on one the pigeon in doomed. We often have birds back with injuries where they have escaped an attack. The pigeon can out fly a peregrine at a level height. The biggest problem is the fright that they put into a flock as they strike. The birds can fly into anything trying to escape. The other one that is increasing in number and is a real killing machine is the gosshawk.

[Murray]

Always upsetting to see.
Here in Australia it is crawling with hawks, and every time they go out they are vulnerable.

[Murray]

This one was lucky to escape with the back torn out of both wings.

Fortunately they grow back.