Sir - Walking along a built-up residential street in Headington today, I was stopped in my tracks by what seemed to be a small jet flying past my face and slamming into the hedge across the road.

It was actually a sparrowhawk, which emerged after a few seconds with a small, dead bird in its talons, and sat on the pavement a couple of feet from me, coolly checking out the neighbourhood, before flying off with its catch.

Only a week ago, I saw, in the same area, a bird of prey being mobbed and seen off by a flock of gulls; and I'm sure many other readers will have spotted kites hovering over their suburban gardens. Is this some kind of Hitchcockian invasion? Should we keep our pets indoors?

N. Williams, Headington