About the Author

Matt Uys

Londolozi Alumni

Being surrounded by wilderness from a young age, you experience it in all of its essence. Matt was privileged enough to grow up in the Lowveld and its surroundings, sparking a great love for nature and all it has to offer, be it ...

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17 Comments

on A Hunt on Varty Camp Lawn

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Matt, I have never seen an African Goshawk up close and personal – great photos!

Matt, you are so right about your observations of predatory, and non-predatory, bird communication. I’ve seen this also in my garden birds here in Switzerland! I think this must be where the expression “a birds’ eye view” comes from. And also that the expression “bird brain” meaning stupid is completely wrong!

@Cindy Hauert, they are amazing! it depends what bird you refer to, as Sersant said, the wildebeast has the brain of an ostrich!

Master Tracker

Sometimes these things happen very close , the odd pigeon has met it’s demise with a sparrow hawk whilst visiting my bird table, the amazing thing is three goshawks at the same time. Wonderful

@Ian Hall, it was spectacular!

Three goshawks in one sighting is highly symbolic. I’d take it as a good omen. And interesting about the mantling. I’d not heard of this behavior before. Thanks for sharing. 😊

Matt these are great photos. Hawks are awesome birds of prey. Thanks for highlighting them

@Andrew and Daniel Bolnick, thank you so much, i was luckily not too far from the studio!

There’s an old saying that “the best camera in the world is the one you have with you.” You proved that the best cameras in the world are the TWO you had with you!

@Michael Kalm, haha this is true!

Matt, your blog just proves the point there’s life teeming in your own backyard if you just take the time to look: birds, insects, mammals, lizards, etc. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos of the Goshawks eating, mantling, interacting……looking forward to your next blog.

@Denise Vouri, thank you, im glad you enjoyed it!

Hello Matt! It must have been an fantastic experience! Good written! Beautiful photos!

Have never seen an African Goshawk in all my visits–fantastic!

You were in the right place at the right time Matt. What a nice experience for you to be so close to these raptors. I also had no idea that raptors would fly beneath a tree canopy, however I have witnessed a raptor listening for the sound of a bird and flying headlong into a cedar hedge, emerging with an unfortunate sparrow for dinner. I feed the birds in my front yard, so I guess I fatten them up for the raptors. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

💕

Unbelievable!! I’ve had encounters like this with black and rufous-chested sparrowhawks, but I’ve never seen so many goshawks together!!

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