Fwd: FW: collared sparrow hawk at Yarralumla

[Matthew Willis <>]

Thanks so much,  Alison.

Being a newbie I was keen to photograph my first sparrowhawk, so stopped of there on the way to work this morning.  A Collared Sparrowhawk dutifully appeared.  I also enjoyed watching some Choughs collecting materials and building a nest (on the opposite side of the track;  as you stand where the jumps are, it is directly to the left add you are looking up the hill,  high up in a pine tree - there are Choughs constantly coming and going making it easy to find).

Matthew

On 18/12/2014 5:57 PM, "Julie Clark" <> wrote:

​​​​ Forwarded for Alison Turner ....

From: Alison Turner [mailto:m("gmail.com","ms.alison.turner");" target="_blank">]
Sent: Thursday, 18 December 2014 10:37
To: m("canberrabirds.org.au","canberrabirds");" target="_blank">
Subject: collared sparrow hawk at Yarralumla

 

To those of you for whom a collared sparrow hawk is still a find – there is one ( of a pair I think ) on stirling ridge that has been reliably there for the last couple of weeks . So far my strike rate is 100% and I am a novice ! . Go up Hopetoun circuit from the lake and park in the small area of dirt on the left before you reach Fitzgerald street .  From the dirt area there is a small path that goes to the left and up the ridge . Follow it for about 100 – 200 m , stepping over a couple of logs and you will reach a small area where kids have made bike jumps in the path . If you stand there and look to you right and up a bit there is a stand of about 20 pine trees . Usually one of the birds is perched on a branch that is protruding – it does take a bit of looking as they are about magpie size at best and more camouflaged. If you wait a while they will often swoop another bird and change trees, with a very characteristic , almost raven like squawk  to my untrained ear . Take garters if you want to get a decent picture as you will need to walk over matted grass

 

Alison Turner

 

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