The Sparrowhawk

I was up in Northumberland this weekend running a tracking course for Rob from Wild Harmony a really cool guy and a real gentleman and very excellent teacher.

Early in the morning on the last day I spent some time chatting with one of the students, we where stood on the edge of the wood by a dry stone wall, when two feet off the deck and flying between us at some speed was a male sparrowhawk.

As he flew between us he also brushed his left wing tips against my trouser leg, which surprised me somewhat as I though he would have avoided the contact for fear of injury. Either way this experience made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I was excited about my encounter with such a magnificent bird for the rest of the day.

I have had many experiences with birds of prey over the years one example took place in Germany while out ringing swallows, I had a hobby fly between my legs, but this, this was different.

And on top of that, the course was held very, very near to a place I never thought I would see again Otterburn. The last time I was there was about 31 years ago firing guns on the ranges, and during the weekend the guns where firing, it was nice to hear them again as it brought back some many good memories of that past life and now here I am in this new life joying the new memories, and new friends.