GOSHAWK

The Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is a powerful raptor with a wingspan of 90-130 cm. It has a striking appearance with a blue-gray back and a white underside striped with dark bands. Its intense yellow eyes add to its impressive and commanding look. The goshawk primarily hunts medium-sized birds and small mammals, using its agile flight to navigate through the forest in search of prey. Admired for its striking plumage and efficiency as a raptor, the goshawk is a majestic and captivating bird to photograph.

Note that both Goshawks and Buzzards are photographed from the same hide!

Season for Photographing Goshawk

The season for photographing the Goshawk extends from November to the end of April. Note that an extension of the season may be possible. All available months are generally good for photographing the Goshawk, but the winter months are the best. During this time, Goshawks have also become accustomed to the activity at the photo hides. If you want to capture the Goshawk in snow or a frosty landscape, January and February are recommended, but snow and frost can also occur in November, December, March, and April.

November is an excellent time to get fantastic photos of the Goshawk in a fall landscape with changing colors of red and yellow.

Goshawks are frequent visitors to the hide and the feeding station, where they can stay for extended periods and feed if not disturbed by Buzzards. The Goshawk tends to visit approximately every other day on average but is almost always present daily during the winter. To get the best photographs of the Goshawk, two sessions are recommended, but the chance of photographing them in just one session is also very high.

And don’t worry about the cold! The hide is equipped with a gas heater to keep you warm.

Camera & Lenses

The choice of focal lengths is up to you; sometimes you might want to get really close, while other times you may want to capture more of the surrounding landscape. I recommend using around 400-600 mm for portraits and about 200-300 mm to include more of the environment around the Goshawk.

The Goshawk comes down to a specially built platform where bait is placed to attract it. The distance from the platform to the hide is about 10 meters, but the Goshawk may sometimes land on one of the small bird feeding stations, which are much closer—just a few meters from the hide. The platforms are mounted on nearby pine trunks and are carefully positioned for optimal backgrounds. Perches, stones, and other elements are regularly swapped to create new photo environments.

The Goshawk hide is also equipped with artificial lighting, allowing for fast shutter speeds even during the darkest morning hours. There is also a water reflection (when it is not frozen) where the Goshawk can come down to drink.

Times for Goshawk

You will enter the hide approximately two hours before sunrise (note that this timing may vary depending on Goshawk activity). You will leave the hide about one hour after sunset.

Things to Bring to the Goshawk Hide

The goshawk hide has plates where you can mount your tripod head or use the available bean bags. This hide is primarily designed for one or two people, with overnight stays possible for one person. Be sure to bring something to eat and drink. A flashlight or headlamp is also a good idea.

What Else Can You See and Photograph?

When you’re observing Goshawk, you also have the chance to see a variety of other forest birds and even mammals. The Goshawk hide is the same as the one used for the Buzzards, so you have an excellent chance to photograph both buzzards and goshawks. Additionally, you may also photograph a range of forest birds. The species that appear will largely depend on the season during your time in the hide.

Forest birds:

This species list is compiled from my own observations in the hide and from other visitors to my photography hides. Please note that the frequency of visits to the hide is an estimate.

  • Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) – Ranges from rare to frequent during the migration period in spring.
  • Coal Tit (Periparus ater) – A very frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Common Raven (Corvus corax) – A frequent visitor during winter and very frequent in spring.
  • Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus) – Not a particularly frequent visitor to this hide. However, it is very frequent and one of the highlights at the forest hide. See Crested Tit.
  • Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Eurasian Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) – Generally a frequent visitor, mainly at the hide during the winter period.
  • Eurasian Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) – A rare visitor.
  • Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) – A very frequent visitor, mainly during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) – A frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) – A very frequent visitor, especially during the winter period, early spring, and late autumn.
  • European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) – A frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Great Tit (Parus major) – A very frequent visitor year-round.
  • Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes) – Frequent during the migration period in spring.
  • Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris) – A very frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) – A very frequent visitor, especially during autumn, winter, and spring.
  • Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) – A very frequent visitor year-round.

Är gömslena endast för fotografer?

Du behöver inte vara fotograf för att njuta av att sitta i ett gömsle och titta på rovfåglar. Det är en fantastisk upplevelse även utan kamera. Däremot är gömslena designade med fotografer i åtanke, med många öppningar för objektiv, monteringsanordningar, bönpåsar osv. Alla mina gömslen är noggrant planerade för att ge dig de bästa vinklarna och de mest vackra bakgrunderna möjliga.

What can you photograph in the hides?

BADGER

Badgers are fascinating to study and photograph, partly because of their iconic black-and-white facial markings. They are active in the evening and at night, which makes capturing them in photos especially exciting.

COMMON BUZZARD

The Common Buzzard is an impressive raptor that visits my photo hides in pairs. It’s exciting to photograph them as they compete for food, and their beautiful plumage can create fantastic images.

CRESTED TIT

The Crested Tit is a small, lively, and unshy coniferous forest bird. With its distinctive crest and beautiful plumage, it is a fascinating and charming species to get close to and photograph in its natural habitat.

GOSHAWK

The Goshawk is known for its hunting skills and sharp vision. In my photo hides, you have a great chance to get close and photograph this majestic raptor, which is otherwise rarely seen in the forest.

FOREST BIRDS

In my photo hides, you can get close to and photograph species such as the Eurasian Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, and Treecreeper. You’ll capture stunning images of these forest birds with their unique and beautiful details.