I've led a couple of YCN Goshawk tours recently. It is such a contrast birding the forest at this time of year. Birdsong has disappeared, with only the calls of overflying Siskins and Crossbills breaking the tranquil silence. It is harder to find Goshawks at this time of year. The adults seem to be quite secretive, and the best chance if provided by freshly-fledged juveniles cavorting around, sparring with each other and the local Buzzards. On Friday, we got brief but reasonable views of an adult which cruised across the valley and into the forest, before a juvenile male appeared overhead, circling around lazily in the hot afternoon sun, before drifting north. A Spotted Flycatcher watched us nonchalantly from a bare branch and 300 House Martins were gleaning insects from the trees, in a frenzy. Earlier, an early skein of Pink-footed Geese had flown high south, calling 'wink-wink' and hinting at the winter to come. A wisp of seven Snipe flew up the valley too, a slightly unexpected sight.
Juvenile male Goshawk and Spotted Flycatcher. Pics by Rob Bendelow.
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