Hi everyone,



Much to my surprise, the Goshawk that I saw and reported yesterday returned again today - briefly - to the same location.? This time I was able to get some photos sufficient for a clear ID (though this species isn't really a difficult ID with any kind of a good view and there was no doubt yesterday).? Unfortunately since I have been doing painting and drawing of birds more than photography recently, my better camera gear was unusable due to a discharged battery, and the images I took were with a Panasonic Lumix?digicam with an 18X optical zoom, not a DSLR.? I need to get digiscoping training from Evan Houston (who gets amazing results) because my results are never great.? The image here is of interest enough even with the poor quality that I went ahead and posted it.



As I was walking back in the house after taking the photos, a raven noticed the Goshawk and lit on a branch near it and began to scold it.? The raven attracted the attention of a few crows who quickly mobbed the Gos and drove it off, then started mobbing the raven.? Feisty and intolerant buggers, those corvids, yes!??



Although I'm pleasantly shocked it came back, it has been in view a grand total of no more than twenty minutes in two days, so twitching conventional wisdom would put the chance of another successful appearance very low on the probability scale.? That having been said, if there are diehards out there who want to try for the bird, please e-mail me off-list for directions.? Both appearances of this bird were in the morning (and I looked frequently the remainder of the day yesterday without success) so a visit to the possible viewing location tomorrow morning might be the best opportunity.? In addition to the low probability of success, here are my disclaimers and admonitions in exchange for the directions:



1.)? The tree in which the bird is located is on closely-monitored private property (the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge Golf Course).? Please do not give?the birding?community a bad name by trespassing.? The public viewing location will - if the bird actually shows up - provide great views even with binoculars, outstanding views with a scope.? The golf course boundary is clearly marked by posts with the tops painted white.



2.)? Although the pond and tiny 'park' (one picnic table) from which I suggest viewing is public property, the access road to it, while always open, is reserved for access by utility crews to phone switch and pumping station buildings located by the pond.? Therefore, parking should be on the main public street just above the pond - avoid parking on the access road.



The viewing location could be overwhelmed by people and would likely result in calls to the local constabulary, which is why I'm going to provide directions individually to only those truly interested and able to make the trip out here...to help avoid any potentially negative situations.? Long-time followers of Tweeters may remember the Emperor Goose in the Snoqualmie Valley a few years back.? Even though that bird was easily visible from a public road (Highway 9) with several amply-sized pulloffs, the amount of birder traffic drew the attention of state and local police and resulted in access to the pulloffs being blocked and warnings, if not tickets, issued.



Oh, yes, before I forget, here is the link to the one (poor, digiscoped) image that I've processed so far - http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?LID=&photoID=11285933&cat=38975 .? For those newer to birding, the key field marks shown in this image compared to the more common accipiters in our area (Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper's Hawk) are:



1.)? White supercilium (eyebrow) and some white around the chin and upper neck area.



2.)??Grayish barring?and whitish or light grayish breast coloration compared to the buffy/cinnamon color of the barring and?undersides of the other two adult accipiters.? Barring on the Gos is also finer in appearance than Cooper's and Sharpie.? (Juvenile accipiters have teardrop-shaped or smudgy more vertical brownish breast markings, rather than barring.)? The color in this poor image is distorted as it had to be cropped significantly, but it gives at least a general idea.?



John Tubbs

Snoqualmie, WA

johntubbs at comcast.net


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