Shortly before 4pm today at Piddington Wood, Oxfordshire a paired couple of iris came spinning out of the canopy quickly pursued by a Sparrow. They landed on the path just in front of me with the Sparrow still trying to grab an easy meal. I shooed the sparrow away as quickly as I could and the iris pair appeared unharmed. They were rather exposed and in danger where they were so I carefully picked her up with him in tow and placed them in the under growth. She immediately started licking salts off my finger so appeared undisturbed by the experience. Fortunately they were still together when I left them to it.

Noticeably her wings still appeared to be quite soft so I assume she had only emerged today.