Goshawks and Sparrowhawks

[Ringo1968]

Where is the best place to observe sparrowhawks and goshawks in England. I am based in south Beds and have heard sparrowhawks but haven't actually seen them. There are a couple of red kites around Hexton.

[accipter]

Its not so much where but when as both these birds can be secretive, especially gos early morning is best in feb march when they are displaying over there territory gos like large forests thetford mayday farm near brandon on the b1106 I have seen them in the new forest, forest of dean, and up in the peak district hope forest. this time of the year sparrowhawk are usually in the town centre's hanging around gardens sometime graveyards are a good bet. Alan.

[aeshna5]

Accipiter has mentioned some good well known spots for Goshawk, but Sparrrowhawk is a very widespread bird that you can see just about anywhere.

Often other birds will give you clues that there is a raptor- often a Sparrowhawk, around. Listen out for the alarm calls of other birds or when there are wheeling flocks of Starlings + look for the bird causing this reaction. Also birds like corvids + gulls will often go + mob birds of prey. All these other birds often tell me there is a Sparrowhawk around.

[accipter]

If you have heard them you may well be close to there territory, look out for plucked feathers and whitewash droppings in any woods you may have near you, if you are lucky you may find a plucking post this can be a fallen tree or stump or sometimes just on the ground. Alan.

[RobS]

Go and stand outside and look up in the sky for an hour or so - you should see one. I've seen two today from my house without even trying!

For Goshawk you can try Acres Down in the New Forest. Get on the M27 which leads to the A31, when you get to Stoney Cross turn left and drive down there for about a mile, when you come to some small crossroads turn right and follow the road until it runs out into a gravel track and park on the left before the gate across the track. In front of you is a small hill walk up that then basically walk down it and to the right and you will see a valley going off to the right. Walk along the obvious path (to the left of the bottom of the valley) for about half a mile and eventually the path will begin to turn to the left around a hill. Walk up to the top of this incline and then turn 180 degrees to view over the valley and woods beyond.

In early mid February to mid March you should be able to see them across the tops of the trees quite high up. The views are a bit distant but good enough to tell that they are Goshawks and not Sparrowhawks. There is another famous site in the NF but I don't know it well enough to describe it.

From the same spot you might see Hawfinch and later in the year Hobby and Honey Buzzard. If you go back to the car and walk along the track you drove in on (beyond the gate) you come to a big curve in the path, it curves to the right and reaches another gate. In that area this year (March / April) I saw Crossbill, Firecrest and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

That area is a gem for birdwatching, the first place I ever saw Hobby and Redstarts.

Good luck, if you find Gos it will have been worth waiting for, magnificent birds and NOT like a big Sparrowhawk - remember they are big birds, Buzzard size!

Rob S

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by RobS

Go and stand outside and look up in the sky for an hour or so - you should see one. I've seen two today from my house without even trying!

For Goshawk you can try Acres Down in the New Forest. Get on the M27 which leads to the A31, when you get to Stoney Cross turn left and drive down there for about a mile, when you come to some small crossroads turn right and follow the road until it runs out into a gravel track and park on the left before the gate across the track. In front of you is a small hill walk up that then basically walk down it and to the right and you will see a valley going off to the right. Walk along the obvious path (to the left of the bottom of the valley) for about half a mile and eventually the path will begin to turn to the left around a hill. Walk up to the top of this incline and then turn 180 degrees to view over the valley and woods beyond.

In early mid February to mid March you should be able to see them across the tops of the trees quite high up. The views are a bit distant but good enough to tell that they are Goshawks and not Sparrowhawks. There is another famous site in the NF but I don't know it well enough to describe it.

From the same spot you might see Hawfinch and later in the year Hobby and Honey Buzzard. If you go back to the car and walk along the track you drove in on (beyond the gate) you come to a big curve in the path, it curves to the right and reaches another gate. In that area this year (March / April) I saw Crossbill, Firecrest and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

That area is a gem for birdwatching, the first place I ever saw Hobby and Redstarts.

Good luck, if you find Gos it will have been worth waiting for, magnificent birds and NOT like a big Sparrowhawk - remember they are big birds, Buzzard size!

Rob S

Though differently proportioned there is an overlap in size between large female Sparrowhawk + male Goshawk.

[accipter]

Just what I was going to say about the size difference ,Acres down went there for a whole week and did not see a thing, that why I did not mention it, but give it a try you never know.

[accipter]

I meant to say raptors as this is what you said you wanted to see.

[RobS]

Fair point on size, but they aren't as flappy as Sparrowhawks.

They are not guaranteed but on the right day you can get reasonable views. I last went to look (actually looking over the wood the other way) in Feb 2009 and saw them but distant.

Earlier this year I was walking around Denny Wood (south of Lyndhurst) and heard a noise that I thought was a bit odd. I then saw a large bird fly out of a tree and raised my binoculars to see what I thought was going to be a Buzzard and thought - 'blimey that's grey' and then realised it was a Goshawk. It circled over my head partially hidden by the canopy for a couple of minutes, best view I ever had!

I think they breed in several places in the NF indeed the Reptiliary (worth a visit) on the A35 has a 'nestcam' to show live pictures of a breeding pair raising chicks. I was shocked when I first saw this as 'Goshawks in the NF' is one of the supposed myths / worse kept secrets of birdwatching.

Anyway they are there....somewhere.

Perhaps we should have a Sunday morning hunt next Feb?

Rob S

[accipter]

I would love to but all my time is spent studying sparrowhawks and will be untill I meet the the big sparrowhawk in the sky if you know what I mean. Alan a sparrowhawk nut.