Life And Death Drama

This morning as we were eating breakfast there was that sickening thud of a bird hitting the living room window. When I investigated, sure enough there was a stunned, badly injured dove who crawled and hid in the undergrowth.
Unfortunately for the dove this small hawk was in pursuit. Despite it's small size the hawk managed to drag the dove a few feet and that was it I'm afraid, game over for the dove.
I didn't want to post a photo of the carnage for fear of upsetting sensitive readers but here is the hawk.
Using the i bird app on the ipad we have (hopefully correctly) identified the hawk as a Merlin. Pretty amazing to see !

Meanwhile.....
In the barn Cashew gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, Tom and Edith, (continuing the Downton theme). The miracle of life never ceases to amaze.