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Cruel nature

(14 Posts)
Deedaa Tue 20-May-14 20:52:03

I once released a shrew that one of the cats had caught - only to see it gobbled up by one of our chickens! It quite put me off the eggs for a few days!
Some years ago I found myself having a tug of war with a fox which had grabbed a neighbour's duck. I won in the end and with a bit of TLC the duck made a complete recovery.

Nelliemoser Tue 20-May-14 19:30:34

BeeWitch. I suggest a sparrow hawk for the circle of feathers. We once watched one in our garden taking a pigeon. Sparrow hawks are very beautiful birds. Nothing at all but feathers were left.

nightowl Tue 20-May-14 19:24:21

jen sad

And it won't be a clean kill.

Agus Tue 20-May-14 19:21:16

Doesn't stop me being upset too even though I know it's all part,of nature sad

ninathenana Tue 20-May-14 18:59:39

I knew magpies went for eggs but was surprised to see one attack and kill an injured adult sparrow. It wasn't even for food. sad

durhamjen Tue 20-May-14 18:53:06

I hate it when the lambs get taken out of the field at the back of my house, as I know a top predator will just eat them.

Dragonfly1 Tue 20-May-14 18:46:26

I know, it's just upsetting. When my DD was in the hospice, we sat in the courtyard a lot, just enjoying the sun and each other. A pigeon had made a nest in one of gutters. Over the time that my lovely girl was there we saw a magpie steal every one of her eggs. Stupidly, that really upset me too.

BeeWitch Tue 20-May-14 18:21:41

We always knew when our local bird of prey (not sure if it was a kestrel or sparrowhawk) had dined because of the neat circle of feathers we found on the lawn ... but the most startling was seeing a female pheasant peck a field mouse to death - my word, you saw the dinosaur ancestry coming out ... talk about shocked and stunned, and that was just me!

Mishap Tue 20-May-14 17:41:25

The world is predicated on kill or be killed - it is tough, but we have no choice but to accept it.

rosesarered Tue 20-May-14 17:17:55

Lucky for us that we are the top dogs on the planet isn't it? I hate to see baby animals taken as well, especially in your own garden.sad

soop Tue 20-May-14 16:46:30

Dragonfly It is sad [to we humankind] but perfectly natural for the hawk who needs to feed itself and family. (hug)

Aka Tue 20-May-14 16:40:40

I know, it's sad

tanith Tue 20-May-14 16:37:33

I know how you feel Dragonfly1 after we had a Sparrow Hawk take bring down a ringed dove on our lawn but we couldn't help also admiring the strength and beauty of the hunter. OH has to keep his fish pond covered with net to ward off the local heron too. I'm working on him to build me a wildlife pond (without blasted fish) grin

Dragonfly1 Tue 20-May-14 16:04:03

I KNOW it's normal, I KNOW it happens, I KNOW it's all about survival ..... but a marauding sparrow hawk has just taken the second of the fledgling blue tits from my garden and I'm gutted. And haunted by the parents' anguished cries. This on top of a ruddy heron making free with the frogs in my pond. sad