-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Thetford Goshawks? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Alastair Rae
- Start date
kittykat23uk
Well-known member
No idea, but the only goshawk I've managed to see was at Stonham barns while watching a raptor display. The hawk appeared in the distance and flew high over. The guy doing the display was convinced it was a wild Goshawk.
I have heard of them being seen at Sculthorpe moor too IIRC.
I have heard of them being seen at Sculthorpe moor too IIRC.
MJB
Well-known member
Saw an adult female about 2km from Breckles, 30 January. It crossed the road at treetop height, following the woodland edge.
MJB
Robert S J Smith
Well-known member
Not the best thing to be posting over the webs guys!
Alastair Rae
London birder
There are lots of places which at different times have been good for displaying goshawks. I don't think that an update that gen would be useful to nefarious types. After all, they were reliable from Mayday farm through the 90s but I doubt if knowing that would have helped the eggers much,
willowgrouse
Well-known member
Goshawks
I am in full agreement, Robert. There are only 6-7 Goshawk territories in the county, most of which are in Breckland. Only one pair has been proven to breed successfully in the county in the last 10 years or so, and this is in part a result of disturbance at breeding sites. This disturbance is not always wilful and can be as a result of a wide range of activities such as forestry work, recreational activities, birdwatchers, etc.
Willowgrouse
I am in full agreement, Robert. There are only 6-7 Goshawk territories in the county, most of which are in Breckland. Only one pair has been proven to breed successfully in the county in the last 10 years or so, and this is in part a result of disturbance at breeding sites. This disturbance is not always wilful and can be as a result of a wide range of activities such as forestry work, recreational activities, birdwatchers, etc.
Willowgrouse
Archie Opteryx
Well-known member
Me too, maybe better to ask for the info via PM if at all...
PYRTLE
Old Berkshire Boy
Alastair,
I still don't think that it's a good idea in any way to put out information on the internet that may in any way assist egg collector's or hunters or morons (some of whom are known to pose as birders and be members of birdwatching forums). As has been stated these "traditional"sites were reliable for certain species but this is, in some instances, no longer the case due to human activities = disturbance.
dwatsonbirder
Well-known member
No gen should be given on Goshawk locations. I've assisted the BTO in finding 2 nests (along with many SC and WL nests) in the last 5 years and the information is not going to be made public.
Stick to mayday farm would be my advice.
Stick to mayday farm would be my advice.
MJB
Well-known member
Point taken chaps! Suitably chastened. Mind you, my post as presented meant that it covered an area of 12.5 square miles...
MJB
tittletattler
Well-known member
Alastair Rae
London birder
Now you're being ridiculous. All I asked was if one fairly well known display site was still active.
Connor Rand
Norwich resident, Holme devotee
But unfortunately in creating a thread like this you encourage people to 'let slip' about other sites and sightings, whether intentional or not, so not the wisest course of action. Anyway, let's hope requests like this don't become something of a habit.
Not sure what the answer is here. Typically people 'in the know' don't keep info to themselves but include friends who in turn tell their friends and hey presto ! a clique. My experience is that cliques like to bait others with odd comments proving 'I know, you don't and I can't tell you'. Birding has always been thus. If you're lucky, once a population reaches a certain critical mass one pair or a site will be 'sacrificed' to the masses as has happened many times. Maybe one day the East Anglian population of this species will make this possible. Although I do wonder how many professional birders/tour leaders/companies will use their local knowledge to take paying-clients to see rare breeders in the county. Maybe they vet all their clients for trustworthiness! As an aside AlistairRae, don't take offence just go to one of the out-of-Norfolk sites. And just so there is no confusion I'm not 'in the know'.
Russ
Russ
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
Can I suggest that people hurry up and not look for Goshawks in Thetford soon so as to leave more time for not looking for Monty's in North Norfolk later in the year?
willowgrouse
Well-known member
goshawks
You make a valid and important point Russ. The welfare of the birds should always be the priority and it would thus be comforting to believe that said tour leaders/professional birders, etc., are taking their paying customers to the 'approved' viewpoints for rare breeding species
Willowgrouse
You make a valid and important point Russ. The welfare of the birds should always be the priority and it would thus be comforting to believe that said tour leaders/professional birders, etc., are taking their paying customers to the 'approved' viewpoints for rare breeding species
Willowgrouse
Mark Batten
Well-known member
Alastair have sent you a pm re the well documented "secret site".
Last edited:
This is a good post.
Archie Opteryx
Well-known member
Or deny most strenuously that they exist?
Alistair - don't go to the Thetford area as there are no Goshawks anywhere at all and nor has there been for centuries. Likewise for those Monties - in fact there are no Harriers breeding in Norfolk at all. And certainly not viewable from the secret layby in the north of the county that shows birders wandering about on google street map. No way, no.
Do you reckon that'll work?
But if I can have that secret PM too, I'll keep schtum
haha!
