Michael Price wrote,

> Many Northern Goshawks in full soar will suggest not the other accipiters
> but either a long-tailed buzzard such as a Red-tail but with a
> longer-than-usual tail, or Gyrfalcon. If your bird had you thinking Red-tail
> before accipiter, or if the bird resembled a Gyr in full soar with
> slightly-more rounded primaries more than the 'typical' accipiter form, then
> there's a good chance of it being a Gos. If you thought 'definite accipiter'
> from the git-go, then there's a good chance that, given its size, it was a
> hen Cooper's.

Yes I did compare its size to a Red-tailed Hawk but with a longer tail.
We had just seen Red-tails soaring but in a different area. Gyrfalcon
didn't come to mind because it would be even less likely than a Goshawk.
The markings underneath immediately ruled out Red-tail and then my mind
turned to Northern Harrier because the white undertail coverts
prominently stood out and I transposed them to the rump. Mind you
because this bird was diferent than others I have seen, I systematically
ruled out each of the more common species first but with a "less than a
minute" look it is quite frustrating. Once the bird is gone you have to
flash back to what you remember about the bird. I did not say Accipiter
from the git-go but came round to that as I eliminated others.

>
> The rufous barring on adult Sharpies and Coops isn't visible at all angles,
> in all lights. It tends to look greyer with distance as the rufous
> barring--not glaringly consicuous at the best of times; it's not a color
> with that travels far--merges with the white ground (or is a rufous ground
> with white barring? '-)

I will agree that the rufous may not show up in all lights but the
lighting was good and there was not even a hint of buff on the
underneath of that bird.


> >A Goshawk
> >would be a life bird for me and I am always reluctant to list a lifer
> >without positive ID and so I will have to wait for another day to mark
> >this species off my list. But still the feelings I have are that this is
> >not a bird I've seen before and that there was definitely something
> >different about it from any Cooper's Hawk I've ever seen. Its one I
> >would like to see again to confirm my ID.
>
> Under the circumstances I'd support the decision to wait for a more
> definitive view. Can't help feeling that because there's a question of its
> ID, it likely wasn't a Gos. A hen Cooper's may suggest Northern Goshawk, but
> sure not the other way around. General experience is that when one finally
> does see a Gos, there is no question: one knows it instantly for what it is.
>

If it was not a Goshawk then I don't know what it is because it didn't
"feel" like a Cooper's Hawk but I definitely will not count it as a Gos
this time. If anyone can definitely give me one of those for my list
I'll take!!!

Yvonne Bombardier
Everett, Wa
ravenn at premier1.net