The Brecklands. March 2011.

I was joined on this visit by Sarah and my Dad. This was a site I had not visited before but by the amount of birders turning up I thought this had to be good for our target bird 'the Goshawk'.
Sarah and my Dad had never seen one before and with lovely clear blue skies it looked very promising, and with an earlier report of one just before arriving we began to scan the horizon. It turned out to be a long wait though and after a few hours the only shouts of 'Hawk' from some birders turned out to be Sparrowhawks and a Buzzard. But whilst we were all watching a Sparowhawk flying at tree top level some distance away, every ones long wait turned to joy as a Goshawk suddenly appeared and mobbed the Sparrowhawk. It proceeded to give distant views flying around the tree tops and perching up before soaring higher and further away. The heat haze at that distance played havoc with the scope view and camera but we had all connected, the sheer size against the Sparrowhawk stood out so well and the dark grey back and stark white undertail coverts/ rump and long tail showing extremely well. My dad later read that it has a large white rump appearance due to fluffing up of the undertail coverts during displaying. Most of us were content to leave after our sighting, but all the while there we were graced by singing Woodlark high overhead and accompanied by Crossbills,Siskin and Yellowhammers it made for a great visit.