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Sparrowhawk versus Pigeon

Yesterday afternoon. One almighty ‘CRACK!’ against the kitchen door window drew me to investigate. I peer through the window and see this...


...a sparrowhawk, sitting on the back door step, and a pigeon, looking rather stunned. 

Well! It all happens here, doesn’t it! You can see what happened for yourselves, and I know I shouldn’t have intervened with Nature and all that rubbish, but firstly, I wasn’t going to have a bloody murder committed before my eyes on my own back door step, and secondly, I like to think that Fate has deemed this encounter to happen under our noses in order that the pigeon be saved. 

The sparrowhawk flew off as soon as we opened the back door. The pigeon did a flappy hobble to the safety of a peppermint patch by the patio doors which I had cut back earlier this year only to see it spring forth again with new growth. Anyway, Pigeon settled itself into the minty undergrowth and we let it be for a while to hopefully recover.

Half an hour later I went to see how Pigeon was doing, and found the peppermint patch devoid of its feathered companion. Pigeon had clearly recovered enough to fly on its way, hopefully avoiding further encounters with Sparrowhawk. I was surprised to see a sparrowhawk take on a pigeon - usually they go for smaller birds. Anyway, I thought no more of it.

Until this morning. I’m currently running down the contents of our chest freezer because it needs defrosting before I do my annual restock in preparation for the Harsh Winter of 2019/20 (?) or the Zombie Apocalypse, which ever arrives first. Consequently, we are having some interesting meals this week, and I have almost reached the point where the remaining freezer contents - ginger, some rhubarb, two beetroot burger, spinach and a bag of summer fruits - can be packed into the cool box with some ice packs and I can do the defrost deed. 

The freezer is in the laundry. I unlocked the laundry and cogitated the freezer for tonight’s culinary extravaganza, happened to glance to one side and there, two beady eyes fixed sternly upon me, was Pigeon! Made me jump out of my skin! It must have wandered in yesterday in the half hour between staggering into the peppermint patch and me going out to check it was okay. 

Poor Pigeon. I offered it a handful of layers’ pellets from the chicken food bin which it rejected by flapping right at me, then around me and out through the laundry door to freedom. 

An hour later, I had another heart stopping moment when I moved off down the drive in my car and felt something ‘bump’ under my tyre. 

It’s okay. It was my rear tyre catching the edge of the drain lid. 



Comments

Anonymous said…
I am not entirely sure others will find it funny but you went from saving the pigeon to talking about restocking your freezer for the Harsh Winter of 2019/20 or the Zombie Apocalypse in a matter of two sentences and I got a mental picture before I read on... but I know you are a vegetarian so immediately erased the picture...
KJ
24 October 2019 at 17:58
Denise said…
The pigeon was lucky I went into the laundry and found it because I don’t go in there every day. And then I could have found a dead pigeon, which would be perfect fodder for the freezer, ready for the Zombie Apocalypse. I hear they’re not fussy!
25 October 2019 at 11:22
Anonymous said…
You made me laugh so hard - thank you! :-D
KJ
25 October 2019 at 20:48
Denise said…
Always happy to make a little laughter in the world, KJ!
26 October 2019 at 08:46
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