A tale of beauty and persecution

Up to five have been seen from the Raptor Viewpoint at Wykeham Forest, North Yorkshire, now one of the best places in the region tofind them. In courtship the female attracts the male by perching near a suitable nesting site and calling to him. Then both take off and circle high in the air on extended wings, occasionally spreading their tails and exposing their white under-tail coverts.

Once the pair bond is established the male will either renovate an old nest or build a new one and up to five eggs will be laid next month. Goshawks, which are similar in appearance to sparrowhawks but much larger, are a native British species which, due to persecution, became extinct about 100 years ago.

As a result of birds escaping from captivity, deliberate releases and possibly some birds coming here from northern Europe, a population of between 400 and 450 pairs has reestablished itself.

The main strongholds are in Wales and neighbouring English counties and they began breeding in Yorkshire again in the early 1960s.

As well as Wykeham there are a number of other Yorkshire woodlands where they breed but these are not made widely known due to the constant threat of persecution. Goshawks are still being illegally killed as they are regarded as a threat to the game bird population.

In fact, they pose little threat to game birds and instead will take a wide variety of prey such as wood pigeons, rabbits, squirrels, rats and even foxes. A particularly shameful example of this persecution is the way goshawks, along with peregrine falcons and ravens have been hounded to extinction across wide swathes of the Peak District National Park, despite the best efforts of the RSPB, other conservationists and the police to prevent this.

The 2007 report Peak Malpractice, spelt out the full details – now an area to which I along with many other birdwatchers made annual expeditions to watch the goshawks has been spoilt due to the actions of a selfish minority.

They are not alone.

Earlier this month the body of a female goshawk was found in Bransdale on the North York Moors by Jean Thorpe, who runs Ryedale Rehab which cares for sick and injured wild animals. When the body was X-rayed it was found to have been peppered with shotgun pellets and the RSPB and North Yorkshire Police are investigating. Let us fervently hope that the offender is caught and punished.

Also in the North York Moors forests, one, possibly two great grey shrikes are being seen in Langdale Forest with one near Blakey Topping at the weekend – a flock of some 70 crossbills were in the same area. A Cetti's warbler was singing near the First Hide at Blacktoft Sands while there were also 55 black-tailed godwits. One bittern is still present at the Potteric Carr reserve near Doncaster, while others were seen at Brough Airfield Marsh, East Yorkshire and the RSPB'sOld Moor reserve. A red-necked grebe was at Southfield reservoir near Doncaster while one continues to be seen at Pugney's Country Park and the Calder wetland.

Some waxwings are still being seen after this year's very late arrival, with 14 in Cottingham, near Hull and two feeding on some rowan berries along the ring road at Cross Gates, Leeds.

The mistle thrushes nesting in traffic lights in Leeds city centre have successfully fledged a brood of four young after building a second nest, again in the amber section of some traffic lights just across a pedestrian crossing from the first nest. Persistence has its own rewards!

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