The Spiel: My friend and neighbor, John, and I were at the Ina Road Dam in Tucson. We were on the other side of the road of the dam. The small stream on this side is narrow and is nearly visible, as I recall, and is quite hidden by the desert scrub. Away from our position and going farther away were two goshawks. We went to the other side of the dam. There the water was wider and slower than the other side. There was also a sandy- muddy bank, where duck can rest and warm up.
We were standing on a concrete platform with a metal railing when two birders joined us. They appeared to be birding buddies and appeared to be serious guys, probably advanced birders. “What did you see”. Two goshawks. “Where”. “On the other side of the road”. One of the faces had a slight pull. About five minutes later— a female goshawk presented from the right front at about 100 feet altitude and was now broadside at about 200 yards. “ There is the goshawk”. And then came the Spiel.
Sharp- shinned hawks are not common to this area. Cooper’s hawks are more common than Sharp-shinned hawks. And goshawks are rare to this area. “ Do you mean to say that that large raptor with those long wings and that deep wing beat is not a goshawk?” IT is Not a Goshawk. Then some other harsh words were exchanged. Then the two birders started to leave. With all honestly I said “I am sorry I chased you away”.
From this, I think you can understand a profound, possibly a very profound statement, probably from Pete Dunne. Hawks in Flight— Pete Dunne, David Sibley and Clay Sutton. 1988 copywrite. Page 55. NB.
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