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Brown Goshawk strikes window

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Subject: Brown Goshawk strikes window
From: brian fleming <>
Date: Wed, 04 Mar 2015 16:49:18 +1100
About a fortnight ago I posted a juvenile Brown Goshawk which landed on my back steps. Today, at 1.00 pm, as I walked into the kitchen, it or a sibling crashed into one of our downstairs northern windows - a mighty crash and window almost obscured by huge barred wings! It flew to the low wall which supports our bird-bath and perched there while I grabbed my camera from the shelf by my head, switched it on, and focussed on the hawk. By moving very slowly I was able to approach fairly closely and take several photos (many impaired by internal reflections). Presently it flew to perch on the edge of the awning, then to a pear-tree and away. I fear the bird may have injured its left leg. I took the camera into the sitting-room to show Brian, then we returned to the kitchen - and briefly saw that the Goshawk had been perched on the arm of the bench in front of the window. It flew again to the pear-tree and I got a photo through a cleaner window. I have posted the best two photos on Birdlife Australia's Photo Gallery, if you want to see them. Why did it strike the window? Probably because the outside landscape was reflected in the window, giving the impression that it could fly through. I took down one awning but the loss of shade does not seem to affect the reflections. I shall make some more 'flying hawk' cut-outs to stick up. Other casualties of window strikes over the years have been a Kookaburra (apparently unaffected), many Spotted Doves (sometimes fatal), and an Azure Kingfisher which was stunned - it was rescued from the cat and placed in a shoe-box to recover, which it did. Red Wattlebirds and Blackbirds have also flown into the window - some casualties.

Anthea Fleming
Ivanhoe, Vic.
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