The Lincolnshire Bird Club

1.45 pm high over my garden in Rippingale my attention was drawn by some really desperate sounding strangulated corvid cries. I looked up to see a large raptor soaring and being mobbed by a mixed party of Rooks and Jackdaws. I immediately knew what I was looking at, but sprinted in to the house for my binculars anyway. I was then able to watch for some minutes a Goshawk being mobbed by Rooks and Jackdaws. It was typical accipter in shape - short rounded wings and long narrow tail but it was much bigger than the attendant Rooks and more than twice the size of the Jackdaws. The ferocity with which the corvids were mobbing it and the cries they were making was further proof that it was not just another Buzzard which they seem to have a go at for fun, if they can be bothered,but in in this instance something they vehemently hated!

The large mixed tit flock and the Green Woodpecker that also appeared in the garden this afternoon rather pale in to insignificance!

Ian

Goshawk????...........your a brave man!!!
Rog.

It was probably a wild bird, but most falconers take there new Juvs out for there first free flight in October, quite a lot of Goshawks go missing betwen October and November, there was one a Kirkby that toured the area for over a year, complete with foot wear but impossible to see most of the time, not trying to rubbish your record just making aware of the escape potential.

Steve.