The sparrowhawk is growing

So, I said that I would write a post about Irish Wild Take and explain how I ended up with this beautiful wild sparrowhawk in my house, and I promise I will. But for now I just wanted to share a few photos from today's activities, which involved hunting pine cones.

This sounds like a silly game, but for a young hawk this is a good exercise in 'footing' - grabbing and squeezing something with her foot quickly. Birds of prey catch their food with their feet and talons, so exercising footing is important in becoming a proficient hunter.

She was so funny flapping her wings and running up to a pine cone on her extra long legs. It's wonderful to see her so excited and animated.

This is the first time she left her 'nest' too to explore and this means that she is now turning from a 'nestling' into a 'brancher' and it won't be long before she takes off.

Earlier today I fed her in the garden and she enjoyed watching flies and birds.

But although she is growing up so fast, she is still only a chick and spends most of her time asleep.

X.