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Hi Dick
If the foursome of Goshawks turns up again, check
to see if a couple are juves: They could be yet to disperse.
We had a number of fantastic weeks around the
Broome Bird Observatory last year with quite a gathering of Accipiters. We had
two Adult Brown Goshawks, their three offspring and a female Collared
Sparrowhawk and offspring. It was as if we were running a learn to fly and hunt
school for raptors which produced many comical outcomes. This was
made doubly interesting as the Brown Goshawks in the area are pretty well
the same size as the Collared Sparrowhawks, thus requiring a trained eye to
determine the difference. It seemed that for some time no matter where you
looked there was an Accipiter and plenty of nervous passerines and columbids.
Of course there were always plenty of Black
Kites, Whistling Kites, White-bellied Sea-Eagles and Brahminy Kites displaying
great aerial talents at varying heights above our somewhat bumbling
students and there's many a story to be told about that lot some other
time.
Ricki Coughlan
Sydney, Australia
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