Renowned for being "very secretive", goshawks are still a "very rare" bird in the UK, according to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

Otherwise known as the "phantoms of the forests", the raptors can soar through trees at up to 25mph as they hunt prey, including pigeons, crows, squirrels and rabbits.

Here are five places you might see one of the birds, which are active between February and April, this year.

Thetford Forest (Image: Thetford Forest)

Thetford Forest’s vast ranks of Corsican and Scots pine have quietly become a stronghold for breeding goshawks, with several pairs scattered across the Brecks.

Park safely on minor roads bordering the forest and spend a couple of hours scanning above the treeline on a bright, breezy morning.

Birders will need to sift through plenty of buzzards and the odd sparrowhawks before they catch a glimpse of the elusive goshawk, though.

2. Lynford Arboretum and the Brecks edge

Lynford Arbroetum (Image: Newsquest)

Lynford Arboretum is already famous with birders for its crossbills and two‑barred crossbill winter roosts, but the surrounding forests are also home to goshawks.

From the car park and paths on the edge of the trees, you can look out over miles of canopy, watching for the birds of prey that sometimes suddenly power low along the treetops.

Late winter into early spring is prime time as goshawks display over territory, but a patient scan on almost any clear day can turn up one of the elusive birds.

While waiting to catch a glimpse of a goshawk, there’s usually plenty else to see, from siskins, woodlarks and even stone‑curlews in nearby open Breckland.

The once extinct goshawk is making a return (Image: Chas Moonie)

Mayday Bird Hide, on the Norfolk and Suffolk border, remains a go‑to starting point for anyone hoping for good views of goshawks.

Forestry car parks and tracks here give you safe access to the forest edge without disturbing other birds, and the mix of open rides and dense conifers is textbook goshawk country.

Locals recommend arriving early, walking out to an opening and then doing the hardest bit of all – standing still and watching the sky for an hour or more as goshawks drift up from the trees to display.

Even if the birds of prey don’t show, birders can still enjoy a day in one of the region’s richest wildlife areas, with everything from crossbills to nightjars using the same mosaic of clearings and plantations.

4. Felbrigg Hall’s Great Wood

Felbrigg Hall (Image: Bill Smith)

Birders say that Felbrigg Hall’s Great Wood, a mix of mature broadleaf and conifer, now produces regular sightings of goshawks.

Unlike the wide‑open Brecks views, Felbrigg’s goshawks often appear as sudden, low shapes threading through the trunks or flashing across rides.

Birdwatchers recommend keeping an eye on gaps in the canopy rather than staring at distant horizons.

Early morning and late afternoon can be particularly productive in spring and summer, when adult goshawks are busy ferrying prey back to hungry young in the depths of the woods.

© Norwich Evening News