I was invited to come and see a family of Japanese Sparrowhawks. I was very eager to go, since I had not seen any of these birds in Kyushu at all, except from an occasional small dot up in the sky that I could never have identified myself. When we got there in the morning, we found 3 chicks sitting in and around a nest in a tall Sugi tree, way up high. They were keenly watching their surroundings, obviously waiting for their parents to bring them food.
We could hear the parents in the dark forest behind us, flying back and forth. They had been bringing them small birds to feed on. Among the trees M found these left-overs:
Would that be the bill of the Ruddy Kingfisher, アカショウビン that we saw there last month?
The parents were calling a lot, but didn't approach the nest. It seemed best for us to withdraw.
Later that day we visited again and found one chick missing. The biggest one had left the nest. We heard the call of 3 birds behind us now and sometimes saw them flying between the dark sugi trees. The other 2 chicks now also seemed eager to fly. I think this was the last and only chance I had to see them.
The smallest chick peeking out from the nest
From the edge of the forest a Mountain Hawk-eagle, クマタカ appeared, chased by a Japanese Sparrowhawk, ツミ
The Sparrowhawk looks so small here. Are you the father of the chicks?
Mountain Hawk-eagle, クマタカ
I had hoped very much to get a closer view of an adult bird, but didn't get the chance. Waiting around the tree with the nest did not seem to be right. We did what was right and gave them a break.
So, I 'll suffice with 2 photos from the past:
Japanese Sparrowhawk, リュウキュウツミ; seen in Okinawa in 2010
Female
Male
It was a very special, watching the young raptors enter the world. It hurts to think of them eating a Japanese Thrush (ouch! 😩) and Ruddy Kingfisher (ouch!😩 😩). Possibly a Fairy Pitta???
That's life.
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