Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Mark Cocker

Country diary: Never have I seen a sparrowhawk so long or so well

The female sparrowhawk feeds on a partridge.
The female sparrowhawk feeds on a partridge. Photograph: Mark Cocker

Anyone who feeds garden birds will know that it takes time to habituate local populations to the supplies. My friend owns a wood with a raised bird table the size of most urban lawns. Adjacent is a hide with one-way glass, and the action unfolds at what seems touching distance.

To lure in his most prized visitor involved the kind of patience that only the most gifted photographers possess. Getting tits or woodpeckers to your nuts takes a matter of weeks, but to entice sparrowhawks to feed at the same spot involved three years of trial and error.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.