Why I bird alone

 Because I bird alone you could call me a Stringer. If you are with me in the field and I point out a Goshawk soaring quite far away, or if a NG is ripping through at about 100 feet altitude, even if you are an advanced birder, you will come away from the experience with an expression of : well, maybe it was a Harrier, or a Falcon, or an accipiter, but I am not confident in my evaluation. 

This experience is disheartening. That is why I bird alone. 

The Thought — Be alert, be aware. Take care of yourself. NB.

I am wrong again

 Well, wrong again for me. A few months ago, I posted that the Chinese Virus would cause, allow, many birders to spend more time in the field. And more time within their neighborhood, the suburbs and the cities. And this would result in many more than normal or more than average sightings of the Goshawk. I pay strict attention to the state listserve of PA., NJ, and WA. Those are the only state birding lists I observe. So, I would say my contention was way off. Even though the birders new to birding or new to making birding a serious endeavor will increase my chance to be correct of my contention.To clarify, even a novice birder can identify the perched accipiter if the hawk is a mature NG. Or inform some other birder of the location and some of the features of the perched raptor therefore, possibly, that raptor can be reported as a NG or possible NG. Or at another advanced day. So, what this means: This scenario is an added factor as to how wrong was I. I am an honest person, a very honest person. And this will lead into another essay: Why I will not analyze my NG photos for you. NB.

The Thought: On TV— the film teaser was rolling the words— China factory production up in Mach. They do have trouble with their “r”s. If you have trouble with “r”s just leave them out. NB.

The Freiday Bird Blog

 Monday, December 28, 2020. Title: Twenty- four ways to tell Sharp- Shinned Hawks and Cooper’s Hawks apart. Freidaybird.blogspot.com

I like the chart design. There are no photos within the chart, which might interfere with the words. I am not critical of the chart. NB.

The Thought: I wonder if GB will ever have a blog? Would I be flagged? NB.

Large Cooper’s Hawk

 A large female Cooper’s Hawk (COHA) went to perch near my house. It was female and mature.  The date will be on the photo. I caught a few of the last flaps as the hawk went to perch. The hawk appeared in flight and perched to be a goshawk. In other words the hawk was too large to be a female COHA. My analysis: tail appeared short, probably NG. The bird was large, NG. The chest and belly were ticked red, COHA, but, that is not enough info for me. The chest was robust, NG. Now I had to concentrate on the head. The head was turning over the right and left shoulder, indicating COHA, but the head was not snapping into positions, maybe not COHA. The head appeared to be small and round, NG. Now, I had to concentrate on the facial markings. The facial field marks were of a COHA. I was of the opinion that a COHA is a COHA. That there was no such thing as a large COHA, or a huge COHA. So, now when some person reports a large COHA, I will be open to the suggestion.

Last winter, in the same location, was a perched accipiter with a robust chest and the hawk appeared large, for a COHA. But, it was a COHA. It flew of over head in level and downward flight. Then it lowered altitude and went into trees and shrubs about a hundred yards away. The last few wing beats were some what sloppy, and uncoordinated. Typical COHA.

In this photo, I initially was not in the best position to photo the chest. So I adjusted my position to get closer and to observe the chest and that was where the the sun light was— on the front of the hawk. The lens was at two- thousand mm. Actually I was too close or to near to being somewhat   under the hawk. Have you ever observed a photo of a group of birders at the base of a telephone pole, with them all looking up with their cameras and binoculars. Looking at an owl or hawk? Well, that is the worst position to be in to observe. They should back off, back away. Because you will get a distorted look at the size and shape of the head. Also, the size and shape  of the eye will be attenuated. And the top of the head, the color and pattern will not be visible. NB.

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The possible goshawk at Skagit Regional Airport

Bait and switch continued

 So, you could say that I did a bait and switch. Or a bait and one- half switch. Or a bait and one and  one half switch. Now, back to the continuation of the subject and how it is possible that two accipiters, different species pulled a bait and switch. That goshawk which flew over the thin tree line, kept going. It did not go to perch. What happened was that the goshawk flew over the perched Cooper’s Hawk. Probably did not even make a pass or an attack on the perched Cooper’s. I have observed a raptor of one species fly over another perched raptor and not bother to harass the perched raptor, many times. This bait and switch was pulled on me in Tucson. The hawk in flight was a goshawk and the perched hawk, was a Cooper’s. To define— both accipiter were not apparent at the same time. Bait and Switch.NB.

, The Thought: Should I do an essay on you and your right to vote and how you have been for many years been fooled. Again— The bait and switch. Has nothing to do with which party.NB.

My mis- information

 Sorry for the delay of the photograph of the previous post. The two of us has finally learned how to insert a photo from my wi- fi camera into my blog. Also, I mis- remembered what William Clark has written and what Brian Wheeler has painted. They say and show a perched goshawk with a tapered or wedge shaped tail. The tail looks like a dagger. The tail tip is pointed- sharply.

Now, will you see this condition often? No. And probably mainly in winter.

I submitted to Tweeters, the ABA listserve for Washington, about the sighting at the airport, and said I will send a report the WOS — Washington Ornithological Society. I will not sent a report, because the photo does not nail the species as Goshawk. The only time I will submit a Scientific Report is when I have a detailed photograph.

Here is what might have happened concerning the sighting. The raptor was at 75- 100 feet altitude to my right front. The bird flapped about 10 times and crossed my front. Then the raptor when over the thin tree line. This was about 100 yards to my front. When I approached this area and found a hole in the tree line, there was a perched accipiter, away from the tree line. Two single photos were snapped at the lens at two thousand mm. Does the photo nail the species. I say NO. To be continued on the next posting. NB.

Goshawk and photo- Skagit Regional Airport

 A  Goshawk, probably female, cut across my path near the highway. The hawk was at 100 feet elevation and went to perch. One photo was taken. The sun was toward the front and side of the hawk. Therefore, most “field marks” and “details” are lacking. However, I will go against my scripture and analyze this photograph for you.

The photo is of an accipiter. The tail- tip is wedge shaped. William Clark writes that a goshawk has a wedge shaped tail - tip.This might be true in many cases but not all cases. So, how we turn an  unsubstantial factor into a substantial factor? How about — The chance of you observing a Cooper’s Hawk or a Sharp- shinned Hawk with a wedge shaped tail is very slim! It is my understanding that Goshawks have a wide or broad tail when completely folded. To me this photograph does not show a broad tail. It could be that the body feathers were fluffed, therefore the tail width would not appear broad. The temperature was about 45 degrees with wind at about 2 miles per hour.

To wrap up this small part of my philosophy of raptor- photo analysis: This photo is of a goshawk only because of the wedge shaped tail. In other words, if this photo did not present the distinct tail tip, then I would call this photograph: An Accipiter. Much more to say on: Why I do not care to analyze my many photos of Goshawks in Tucson, Apache Junction, AZ. And N. Whidbey Island and Anacortes. And why I do not care to analyze your photos for you. In due time, I will place the photo on the posting. NB.