Grand Canyon Goshawks

We arrived at Grand Canyon, RV Park, business district one week before the season’s closing. The sun was low toward setting. A immature, female NG was flying over my position as I was strolling through and around the buildings. This raptor had dark, extensive streaking with a patina of golden bronze. On another day, I went to an area about three miles from the HQ. Standing on the rim scanning, slightly below the rim were two NG circling. One hawk tilted to turn and displayed a chest and upper belly of red- orange. The area appeared to be solid, with a flame tipped design, with the flame tips pointing toward the belly. On another day, in another area, while scanning top- side and slightly below the rim were two NG circling.

Then I read that HWI was having a survey of  hawks in migration and the public was invited. When I got to the flat rim and was greeted by the intern and told we were not to go near the rim, because in defile were the hawk counters and were not to be disturbed. I had the superior position, as I could observe everything that was behind the hawk counters. But, of course they could observe everything that was below their position. A female NG was heading for our position. I alerted the hawk watchers—  Goshawk Coming. The large accipiter came near our position at about 100 feet above us. Then the hawk went out over and past the rim for all to witness. Then I shouted— Female Goshawk!

There was some movement of a large hat just below the rim. Then a body started to developed and a man stood top- side and yelled— I’m calling it a Cooper’s hawk —That hawk did not have pointed wing tips. Possibly he yelled at me because of a light breeze, or because of the distance between us.

Here is the gist of the situation— the large accipiter came through slowly, the wing beats were relaxed and not rapid, rather lose and lazy. Under these conditions a Goshawk does not have to show pointed wing tips! Also, a Cooper’s hawk does not fly with lazy, relaxed wing beats.

The intern asked— What made that bird a goshawk? I said “ Everything about that bird said— “Goshawk.” The intern commented that she tried to observe the vermiculation on the chest of the hawk. I said “How do you expect to observe the vermiculation when you are looking into the sun?”

So, within seven days— four daily sightings of NG at Grand Canyon. NB.