Dear birders and hawk watchers- and there is a difference. Yes, there is a world of difference between a hawk watcher and a birder. There is a big difference between a Cooper’s hawk and a Goshawk.
Check the the wa tweeters birding list serve post by crazy dave, July 26 2019. Disappearing birds. He reports on the paucity of birds, insects, and raptors. He lives south of my position possibly by 70 miles. I can conclude from our observations - birders are not hawk watchers. They have little interest in observing the sky. Folks - I am in the sky every day - even from inside my house. Raptors cannot hide in the sky!
The thought: I am going to write an Irish jig. Mueller are you in there.
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Monday, July 22, 2019
Early goshawk
July22 - 2019 Anacortes- Saint Mary’s Church
1 female NG. The hawk came through overhead, flapping, at about100 feet altitude. Then hawk went circling, soaring and flapping and drifting, at about 150 feet altitude. Lapsed time of observation, about 2 minutes.
The hawk had a very wide terminal band, white. My other neighbor— the third one— to be shown a Goshawk in flight. I will say this again and again— You’ve seen Goshawks!
This ( for me) is a rare sighting of ( female NG) as related to the season; the nesting season. The female is usually observed after August 15. Or better yet— September 1. Also, it is rare or uncommon to observe a male NG, until after August 15. NB.
1 female NG. The hawk came through overhead, flapping, at about100 feet altitude. Then hawk went circling, soaring and flapping and drifting, at about 150 feet altitude. Lapsed time of observation, about 2 minutes.
The hawk had a very wide terminal band, white. My other neighbor— the third one— to be shown a Goshawk in flight. I will say this again and again— You’ve seen Goshawks!
This ( for me) is a rare sighting of ( female NG) as related to the season; the nesting season. The female is usually observed after August 15. Or better yet— September 1. Also, it is rare or uncommon to observe a male NG, until after August 15. NB.
Thursday, June 13, 2019
The inserted wren
June 13. Yesterday and today while watching a tennis tournament from Stuttgart, Germany- in the foreground or background was a wren sounding off and often. It was similar to a House Wren - I believe. It did not sound as a Eurasian Wren. I will take a educated guess- there was no wren sounding off in the studio or on the tennis court area. The sound was an effect added to the television production.
Be fire - my friend. NB.
The thought: why is it when watching a television review of a video of a television newscaster and there is an earthquake happening within the building- the commentator screams “ earthquake” and thrusts his arm upward into the air? Shouldn’t he be pointing downward! NB.
Be fire - my friend. NB.
The thought: why is it when watching a television review of a video of a television newscaster and there is an earthquake happening within the building- the commentator screams “ earthquake” and thrusts his arm upward into the air? Shouldn’t he be pointing downward! NB.
Monday, June 10, 2019
About Mary Beth Stowe
I just discovered that Mary Beth Stowe has a web site. And that she is an artist, music maker, photographer, and has a birding blog pertaining to her bird sightings and locations in San Diego and Texas.
I first and only met Mary Beth in San Diego on a Christmas bird count. She told me to meet her at a park, I am quite sure it was Cabrillo Heights Park, for the 1999-2000 bird count. When I arrived, she was with Ed Wallace. My opinion was that they were both advanced birders. Now it is years later, and I am sure that Mary Beth is more advanced as a birder. I am not, I have not advanced since then, in fact over many years, I really don’t go birding. Although I am in the sky every day, hawking.
The bird count was over and we were standing in the lawn, when I popped the question: Have there been any sighting of Goshawks in San Diego? I think there was some hesitation, then Ed made a comment. He might have given a sir- name and a location. But this did not compute, because I was new to the area, and his reply was in the affirmative. I quipped: I will bet that went over big with the birding community. I also said: I have two more months to stay in San Diego and that should be enough time to find a Goshawk in San Diego. Mary Beth inserted: What makes you so sure you will find a Goshawk in San Diego? I replied: They follow me as I travel.
We started moseying toward the parking lot. A raptor was circling. I went running toward and to the edge of the black- top. The raptor was spiraling upward. Now Mary Beth and Ed were at my side, with the raptor still spiraling upward. Then the raptor leveled off and went cruising. The the hawk dropped down toward tree- top level and continued toward the zoo. The lapsed time of observation was at least one minute.
I called the hawk. I asked Mary Beth, she thought the hawk may have been a falcon. I asked Ed. He said the hawk was an accipiter. The raptor was Goshawk, was female, and was immature.
I do not wish to castigate. But Mary Beth is not a hawk watcher. Are you a friend of Mary Beth? Then your friend has observed a Goshawk. Is Ed Wallace your neighbor? Then your neighbor has observed a Goshawk.
Mary Beth is my missing link! Mary Beth is your missing link! However in this case, sadly, the link will remain missing. It is attenuated.
The thought: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez— my nick name for her. The Cisco Kid. And Montezuma’s Revenge. NB.
I first and only met Mary Beth in San Diego on a Christmas bird count. She told me to meet her at a park, I am quite sure it was Cabrillo Heights Park, for the 1999-2000 bird count. When I arrived, she was with Ed Wallace. My opinion was that they were both advanced birders. Now it is years later, and I am sure that Mary Beth is more advanced as a birder. I am not, I have not advanced since then, in fact over many years, I really don’t go birding. Although I am in the sky every day, hawking.
The bird count was over and we were standing in the lawn, when I popped the question: Have there been any sighting of Goshawks in San Diego? I think there was some hesitation, then Ed made a comment. He might have given a sir- name and a location. But this did not compute, because I was new to the area, and his reply was in the affirmative. I quipped: I will bet that went over big with the birding community. I also said: I have two more months to stay in San Diego and that should be enough time to find a Goshawk in San Diego. Mary Beth inserted: What makes you so sure you will find a Goshawk in San Diego? I replied: They follow me as I travel.
We started moseying toward the parking lot. A raptor was circling. I went running toward and to the edge of the black- top. The raptor was spiraling upward. Now Mary Beth and Ed were at my side, with the raptor still spiraling upward. Then the raptor leveled off and went cruising. The the hawk dropped down toward tree- top level and continued toward the zoo. The lapsed time of observation was at least one minute.
I called the hawk. I asked Mary Beth, she thought the hawk may have been a falcon. I asked Ed. He said the hawk was an accipiter. The raptor was Goshawk, was female, and was immature.
I do not wish to castigate. But Mary Beth is not a hawk watcher. Are you a friend of Mary Beth? Then your friend has observed a Goshawk. Is Ed Wallace your neighbor? Then your neighbor has observed a Goshawk.
Mary Beth is my missing link! Mary Beth is your missing link! However in this case, sadly, the link will remain missing. It is attenuated.
The thought: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez— my nick name for her. The Cisco Kid. And Montezuma’s Revenge. NB.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
more of Eurasian Kestrel
That Eurasian Kestrel at the Samish flats was trapped. It was no doubt banded and photographed. It was probably released there. But, later on it was not reported in WA, Oregon, Montana, or British Columbia. So did it disappear again? Even at five- thousand feet altitude, over head, the hawk can be identified as a falcon, at least. It is possible that the hawk was hit by a car, just one mile from its release.
Which presents one of my profound statements. Birders are not hawk watchers and most of them never will become hawk watchers. It is too much of another discipline— Too much of a leap of faith.
Be water my friend. NB.
The missing links
June 9-2019
What is a missing link? Who is missing link? Where is a missing link? You could be - and are a missing link. I could be and am a missing link. This post is a reflection of this web site. It revolves around just one sighting, but there are many missing links to this story. I am sure you can find many other missing stories or links. I am sure you have contemplated other stories.
The story- a hawk (I don’t know any of the details) was observed at the Samish flats, Skagit County, Wa. The hawk was a Eurasian Kestrel. So the hawk was observed and identified in 1999.
However, from my investigations, this hawk was not observed (and identified) in any other area of the large state of Washington. Ditto for the state of Oregon. Ditto for British Columbia. So it appears that the hawk made some type of a disappearing act, then an appearing act! So you could (might) say that this is a very rare sighting, or that there are some factors that just don’t add up. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. You are thinking about me. You are thinking that I am contemplating that that Eurasian Kestrel was misidentified or possibly this was a hoax- full sighting. But, recall, the hawk was observed (and) identified. The crux of the situation is that the hawk was identified and probably photographed. Understand- I at this time have not investigated the details of this sighting. But, I will look into it more deeply. As to what I am thinking is in no way acting as an impediment toward this sighting. So, the catch phrase of this post is observation accompanied by identification, which ties in to my profound statement, my number one rule. I will never say you have misidentified a bird. And this ties directly into my profound statement- You have observed Goshawks— your friends have observed Goshawks — your neighbors have observed Goshawks!
So to wrap it up, that Eurasian Kestrel did not just appear at the Samish flats and dropped down from ten thousand feet altitude. And then it did not just disappear again! That hawk was observed by many individuals— by somebody; somebody’s friend; somebody’s neighbor.
As an afterthought: I recall a story told to me by Cristofer Aquila (biologist) in charge of the Chimney Rock Hawk Watch in Somerset, NJ, in about 1993. The story revolved around a Eurasian Kestrel.
What is a missing link? Who is missing link? Where is a missing link? You could be - and are a missing link. I could be and am a missing link. This post is a reflection of this web site. It revolves around just one sighting, but there are many missing links to this story. I am sure you can find many other missing stories or links. I am sure you have contemplated other stories.
The story- a hawk (I don’t know any of the details) was observed at the Samish flats, Skagit County, Wa. The hawk was a Eurasian Kestrel. So the hawk was observed and identified in 1999.
However, from my investigations, this hawk was not observed (and identified) in any other area of the large state of Washington. Ditto for the state of Oregon. Ditto for British Columbia. So it appears that the hawk made some type of a disappearing act, then an appearing act! So you could (might) say that this is a very rare sighting, or that there are some factors that just don’t add up. Now, I know what some of you are thinking. You are thinking about me. You are thinking that I am contemplating that that Eurasian Kestrel was misidentified or possibly this was a hoax- full sighting. But, recall, the hawk was observed (and) identified. The crux of the situation is that the hawk was identified and probably photographed. Understand- I at this time have not investigated the details of this sighting. But, I will look into it more deeply. As to what I am thinking is in no way acting as an impediment toward this sighting. So, the catch phrase of this post is observation accompanied by identification, which ties in to my profound statement, my number one rule. I will never say you have misidentified a bird. And this ties directly into my profound statement- You have observed Goshawks— your friends have observed Goshawks — your neighbors have observed Goshawks!
So to wrap it up, that Eurasian Kestrel did not just appear at the Samish flats and dropped down from ten thousand feet altitude. And then it did not just disappear again! That hawk was observed by many individuals— by somebody; somebody’s friend; somebody’s neighbor.
As an afterthought: I recall a story told to me by Cristofer Aquila (biologist) in charge of the Chimney Rock Hawk Watch in Somerset, NJ, in about 1993. The story revolved around a Eurasian Kestrel.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
Still- paucity
Goshawk sightings from November 25 2018 until May 1 2019. Only 2 sightings- 1 12 2019. One NG circling and flapping at about 75 feet altitude. And then directly overhead. Near Mt. Erie School, Anacortes. 4 2 2019. One NG over car while driving. Circling and flapping at altitude of about 100 feet. West of Mt. Erie School.
There is still a paucity of raptors in the sky. From Anacortes to Mount Vernon, and to Oak Harbor. Basically, Red-tailed hawks and Eagles are in short supply. It is nine miles to Mt. Vernon and 20 miles to Oak Harbor. But, what is happening to my Goshawks? More posts coming up. I have much to write, and will start the ball rolling. NB.
There is still a paucity of raptors in the sky. From Anacortes to Mount Vernon, and to Oak Harbor. Basically, Red-tailed hawks and Eagles are in short supply. It is nine miles to Mt. Vernon and 20 miles to Oak Harbor. But, what is happening to my Goshawks? More posts coming up. I have much to write, and will start the ball rolling. NB.
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