Watching the Skies 

Come spring, the Hildon Estate bursts into life. Hedgerows hum with activity, hares dart across open fields, and deer settle into a gentler rhythm as summer approaches. It’s the season of movement, song, and renewal. With so many breeds on the estate, the house martins, blackcaps, and ravens - we even have a free range white peacock. This year, we were thrilled to spot three very special birds: the firecrest, the goshawk, and the skylark.

Each of these species plays its part in the song of spring, and each one faces its own challenges to thrive. 

Firecrest: A Tiny Jewel in the Forest

This restless little bird rivals the goldcrest for the title of the UK's smallest bird. But the firecrest stands out with its sharper, cleaner look: olive-green above and buff-white below, with a bright white eye-stripe and a bronze neck ‘collar’. Males flash a fiery orange mohawk bordered in black, while females wear yellow.

Like their goldcrest cousins, firecrests flit quickly through coniferous trees, hunting for insects among the needles. They're dazzling, energetic—and all too easy to miss. Although this is a tiny bird, it gave us the biggest thrill to spot this rare sight.

Goshawk: The Forest’s Acrobat

If the firecrest is a jewel, the goshawk is a shadow. This powerful bird of prey—the females around the size of a buzzard—is a master of woodland flight. With bright red eyes, broad wings, and muscular legs, it weaves through trees at high speed to take prey on the wing. Females are especially formidable, bigger than males and slate-grey above with barred white underparts.

Once extinct in the UK due to persecution, goshawks began to recover in the 1960s, thanks to escapee and released falconry birds. Today, they nest deep in forests, and in late winter and spring, they rise in spectacular 'sky-dance' displays to stake out their territories.

Despite this comeback, they remain a Schedule 1 species, protected by law—yet still persecuted, and still vulnerable. Their presence might explain the recent absence of the red kites.

Skylark: The Song of Open Fields

In contrast to the forest-dwelling firecrest and goshawk, the skylark thrives in open landscapes. It’s a small, streaky brown bird with a neat crest and a remarkable gift: its song. Skylarks rise almost vertically, climbing up to 300 metres while delivering a long, complex, warbling flight call. Then, they parachute gently back to earth. It’s not just beautiful—it’s difficult to photograph!

These birds nest on the ground and can raise multiple broods each year. But despite their resilience, skylarks have suffered one of the steepest population declines of any UK bird species. Since the mid-1970s, numbers have plummeted by over 60% due to changes in farming: the move from spring to autumn sowing has reduced food availability and nesting cover. The loss of winter stubbles has also impacted their survival, so we're very lucky to be able to offer a home to these lyrical birds.

All three of these birds—the firecrest, goshawk, and skylark—remind us just how rich and varied our spring wildlife can be. But they also underscore how delicate this balance is. From the forests to the open fields, each relies on habitats that are increasingly under pressure. 

Spotting them this spring was a thrill; we appreciate what a privilege it is to protect this land and preserve it for future generations of creatures great and small. Sustainability is central to Hildon's ethos, so each glass of Hildon natural mineral water is helping us protect the land and those that live here.