Goshawk

Another period with few birding opportunities is upon me but I did manage half an hour in Maridalen this afternoon.

A flock of 12 Lapwing resting on rocks in Nesbukta was unexpected as the breeding birds moved on a few weeks ago and there have been very few at Årnestangen recently. A lot of alarm calling birds and Wood Pigeons scattering in all directions alerted me to a Goshawk (hønsehauk) right over my head which then proceeded to gain height right in front of the sun and gave me just one photo opportunity. The bird was a male due to its smaller size and in the field the colouration including the grey upperside left me in no doubt it was an adult male. Looking at the picture though I’m not so sure that it is so straightforward. The bird is clearly not a juvenile (1cy) which would be streaked as opposed to barred on the underparts but it is an adult or an immature? The bird is clearly in active moult with growing feather in the wing and tail which would suit an adult which moult flight feathers after the young have fledged but it looks like there is a brown tinge to the underwing coverts which is surely a sign of immaturity and the barring on the underparts is quite heavy which is also a sign of immaturity. A male in its third year?

male Goshawk but how old is it?