I spent the morning at Rookwood Necropolis photographing birds. My last visit had been very good for photographing Spotted Pardalotes and Scarlet Honeyeaters. That visit had been in the afternoon. This time, I saw a few Scarlet Honeyeaters, and heard a lot more – but they seemed to be spending their time high up in the trees. The same for the Pardalotes. But the pair of Brown Goshawks that I had seen last time where about, and seem to be nesting nearby.
When they are perched in the trees, these Goshawks can be very hard to spot, just by looking around and looking up. But if you hear them calling, then that gives you big clues to where they are.
I spotted one perched in a tree, and then watched it.
It seemed to be waiting for the female to arrive.
I spotted the female land in the same tree I had seen her in last time. A large pine tree. This was the tree I had seen them mating last visit. It is not friendly tree for photographers as the branches often get in the way. But this time she was perched in a better spot.
The male flew over and landed nearby.
It then flew off, leaving the female by itself.
But then the male returned and landed a bit lower down.
It them made its way up to the female.
And I was fortunate to watch them mating.
Then the male perched nearby.
I watched them for a while, waiting to get some photos as they took off. But while reviewing my photos, I looked back up, and noticed they had both left! I later did see one of them flying nearby –
I have seen some large nests in nearby trees. Perhaps they will use one of them?