21 May 2003 - The Red Goshawk
Day was just breaking as I woke to the rustling of wings at close range. I lifted my head and peered down past my feet and there he was - one of the world's rarest birds of prey.
Day was just breaking as I woke to the rustling of wings at close range. I lifted my head and peered down past my feet and there he was - one of the world's rarest birds of prey.A male Red Goshawk, going through his morning ritual of preening his bright red plumage. I rubbed eyes still blurry with sleep and noticed, not three metres from the male was a female, brooding a nest with two eggs. I looked at them and they looked at me - then went back to their morning business. To be treated like 'part of their family' was an experience that will stay with me forever.
Days before, I had built my own 'nest', 28 metres above the ground and just 5 metres from the nest. It was in this swaying hide that I went about my business of filming the birds while they went about their daily ritual of brooding their precious eggs. I was close, perilously close to their nest - but they seemed to know I meant no harm as I captured wonderful moments of rare footage.
I couldn't afford to move around and disturb them so I slept on a stretecher I'd erected between two branches. I felt secure but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone afraid of heights! The discomfort was worth it to share the space of these wonderful birds and gain their trust.
So little is known about this raptor - but during my precious time in their living space I learnt many things.
The first thing I noticed was just how quiet and secretive these birds are. There were days when the male would fly from his nocturnal perch and alight upon a paper-bark some distance away. Here he'd sit for a good ten hours, doing nothing but changing position and preening.
The male's 'disappearing acts' were the most amazing thing I've ever seen. There were times when he would simply slip through the foliage and be gone, off to hunt for anything up to twenty hours. Less often, he would leave his perch and circle above the nest, gaining height till he was almost out of sight. Then, with a few rapid wing beats, he would fly off at a speed I couldn't follow.
I could usually tell when the male was approaching with food. Long before I'd spotted him, the female would call out loudly. When he was in close range, she'd call out again and leave the nest, nearly attacking him in her hunger. The prey was often Kookaburras, though he also brought her one of the larger Honeyeaters or Friarbirds. While she enjoyed her food, he would fly to the nest and guard the eggs, not leaving till she had returned.
During my filming for 'Ghosts of the Forest', I learned many things about this majestic bird. For one thing - I'm not convinced that the Red Goshawk is a Goshawk! But that's another story.
John Young
Days before, I had built my own 'nest', 28 metres above the ground and just 5 metres from the nest. It was in this swaying hide that I went about my business of filming the birds while they went about their daily ritual of brooding their precious eggs. I was close, perilously close to their nest - but they seemed to know I meant no harm as I captured wonderful moments of rare footage.
I couldn't afford to move around and disturb them so I slept on a stretecher I'd erected between two branches. I felt secure but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone afraid of heights! The discomfort was worth it to share the space of these wonderful birds and gain their trust.
So little is known about this raptor - but during my precious time in their living space I learnt many things.
The first thing I noticed was just how quiet and secretive these birds are. There were days when the male would fly from his nocturnal perch and alight upon a paper-bark some distance away. Here he'd sit for a good ten hours, doing nothing but changing position and preening.
The male's 'disappearing acts' were the most amazing thing I've ever seen. There were times when he would simply slip through the foliage and be gone, off to hunt for anything up to twenty hours. Less often, he would leave his perch and circle above the nest, gaining height till he was almost out of sight. Then, with a few rapid wing beats, he would fly off at a speed I couldn't follow.
I could usually tell when the male was approaching with food. Long before I'd spotted him, the female would call out loudly. When he was in close range, she'd call out again and leave the nest, nearly attacking him in her hunger. The prey was often Kookaburras, though he also brought her one of the larger Honeyeaters or Friarbirds. While she enjoyed her food, he would fly to the nest and guard the eggs, not leaving till she had returned.
During my filming for 'Ghosts of the Forest', I learned many things about this majestic bird. For one thing - I'm not convinced that the Red Goshawk is a Goshawk! But that's another story.
John Young