E- bird rarities

An interesting essay by Gary Bletsch, a Skagit County, WA., advanced birder and world traveler. At watweeters—21 June 2020, e- bird, rarities, and other matters.

I was at the bottom of the steep roadway, when a Cooper’s Hawk was about 30 degrees off my zenith at about 100 feet altitude. The hawk was “large” and had “long” wings. The hawk was going up the hill. The wing beats were somewhat loose and sloppy. The wings were not sharply outlined. The primaries were not “clean- cut.” The hawk was lanky. The tail was long and thin. The chest and belly were thin. The hawk was female.

What I am hinting is that if you truly understood the shape and movement of the Cooper’s, the moment you observe an accipiter that is not a Cooper’s, you should say, “ That’s not a Cooper’s.” In other words, you do not have to understand the Goshawk, just know the Cooper’s Hawk. Nearly every action we take is a process of elimination.

The Thought: A good read— How Emotions Are Made— Lisa Feldman Barrett. NB.

Goshawks of Texas

We departed Junction City Kansas with our new trailer to enter east Texas for the first time. It was the day after Thanksgiving 1998. We went to Livingston, Polk County, for a week or two. I took the truck  to Wal Mart for oil change and went for a walk. There were cottages with tall evergreens set back on the area. Away from my position and going farther away was a Goshawk ripping low over the tree tops. This did not surprise me, as I was very aware of NG action, behavior, and habitat.

While driving into Texas I was amazed at the thickets and woods and areas of water— ponds, lagoons, and inlets. I thought: This is goshawk territory, mainly because I could tell— this is small game and reptile country. So that is it for this area of Texas.

In winter in 2002-03 we were in Rockport, Texas. Our first and only time there. In this area, I observed four NG. Two female and two male. The female were mature and immature. The male were mature and immature. I am calling the Red NG as mature. That is female with red on chest, belly, and under wing coverts. A good place for you as a hawk watcher (not a birder or birding) is all areas around Lagoons RV Park, the huge Baptist Church parking lot, and the baseball field nearby. Also, there is a park near the rv park. Also, traverse the high school area. And even get into the bleachers, to get some altitude and elevation. Also hawk the HEB parking lot and the magnificent copse of oak trees. Try the Wal Mart area and near by Connie Hager Park and cemetery. If possible get up on some overpass. I understand it is inconceivable, but all these locations have produced NG within the sky or even lower— less than 100 feet altitude. Just alongside Rockport is Fulton. One NG observed there.
At the thousand year old OAK was a female soaring. Do not leave out Goose Island Park. At Aransas NWR was a male NG ripping through back and forth over the top of a small, low thicket of brush. Also, on a birding cruise, far away, was a female NG which was near the wildlife preserve. Here is my suggestion: Do not hawk watch south of Rockport, only north of Rockport.

I never did observe a perched NG. I never did observe doubles or triples of NG. I did observe a female NG sliding into a copse at Connie Hager Park. Also, at the rv park in winds of  about 20 mph a NG was knocked down near where I was standing. It was in the brush somewhere. I started to crawl under the barb wire to try and find the hawk. But it was private property. Also, why should I investigate. What would I gain?

I did post more info on Rockport sightings and with a birding partner. I am being snippy— go chase.

This is a two-part report. Next will be: Goshawks of Houston and Tyler. Be safe and kind, but maybe not kind, considering what is happening to our nation and its sanity. Truthfully, l’m scared.NB.

A good idea

If you observe a raptor soaring, keep your eye on the bird. There is a chance that another raptor will go up into the sky. If of another species there might be a dust- up. Also, if the attacker came out of the trees, it could indicate that there is a nesting situation.

The thought: Study gun sales. Invest in guns.NB.

NJ Goshawk sightings

I received an informal sighting from west- central NJ of two NG sightings within two consecutive
months. One sighting was of a mature female NG. NB. Be safe out there. NB.

Top down strategy

Here is a strategy. I have not applied this strategy, therefore it is not a tactic. Top- down means hawking the country-side in a convertible car. It is best to always have a partner. It is not a good idea to travel through the forest road. What is the chance of a goshawk ripping through in front of your car? Here is the advantage of having a pal. You are driving, spot a raptor but there is no place to pull over. But, with a pal, you can just stop, or pull slightly over    then pal can jump out. You now will continue down the road, turn around and pick up pal. 

See you at the light. NB. Anacortes.

Goshawks Hunterdon County

As an erstwhile resident of Hunterdon County and the New Jersey Audubon Society, I am presenting this post, dealing with Goshawks in Hunterdon County. Since I never documented any of my information and I never carried a camera while birding, I can understand why many birders will have their doubts of the validity of this posting. Let me just say it was around 1994 that there was an invasion of Goshawks into Northern Hunterdon County. These raptors were observed in early Spring, they may have been observed in the summer, then were observed in fall and winter and into the next spring and summer. Therefore, I am thinking that the invasion was observed in 1995. But, that is not at all important, to me. That zero pictures were taken is not important to me.

The first Goshawk that I observed was in Upper Black Eddy, PA. The hawk was female and was circling in a heavy fog, overhead. The second observation was in bright sun. A female NG soaring. This was in Erwinna, Pa., which is five miles downriver from Upper Black Eddy. This time frame was in the season before the NJ invasion.

The start of observing the invasion: Pete Kwiatek and I were birding for warblers in early spring on Goritz Road. We were at the base of a thin, steep, gravel road. Pete said “Look.” Well over the tops of the tall trees was a raptor flapping and circling. This hawk had a lot of silver, grey and white on the ventral area. I instantly called— Goshawk! We jumped in the car and went up the hill to a big open area. But the sky was empty. We jumped into car and went to top of hill — near the route 579 intersection. It was then that there was so much activity in the sky and low overhead that we hardly understood what we were observing. We did observe at least one NG. As I recall, a Kestrel and other raptors ripping about.

I started pestering Dick Dunlap to be with me at this site. We were at the site when he glassed a raptor (NG) in flight and said “ You ain’t lying.”

On another experience— There was a raptor survey. I don’t recall, it may have been a two - day event. Dunlap was the leader of the study. A Warren County count. In the morning, a group of us were standing around, when Dick Dardis and I called two NG far way and going further away, heading toward Jug Town Mountain. Pete K. and I were observing a tilted pasture, when a mature female NG was flapping low over the field. Pete remarked of the length of the wings and the depth of the beats. I remarked that the hawk had a pink chin and throat. Dunlap and I were observing a copse, which Pete was entering. Over head and behind, as if following Pete was a NG. I was informed that there were five NG sightings on the survey. I was delighted to have participated on three of those sightings. So how many NG were observed? I do not know, but at least two NG were observed.

Dick Dardis, biologist David Womer and I were birding in the hills of Bloomsbury. A NG was far away traversing two hills. David said “ I would like to get another look at that bird.” The hawk did present again, same altitude, same elapsed time frame.

I was hawking in the village of Little York, on the hillside. A new development was going in. The black top road was in. The Belgium block curbing was in. A NG was in flight, being attacked by a RTHA, then another NG came into the battle, then another RTHA entered the fight. Then a third NG arrived to do battle, followed be a third RTHA.

I lived on Hickory Corner Road. I was getting into car, while two male NG were ripping over the trees on the next ridge line, Rick Road. They were heading south as was I. I pulled in at the gas station and jumped out the car and started scanning the corn fields along the Delaware River. Well south of my position and ripping further away were two NG. This area was not far from Frenchtown. If they were the same two NG that  I observed, it was a good two miles from my initial sighting. While hawking from my property or walking my country road NG could be observed in flight.

Here is an interesting sighting. It did not involve raptors. It was near the Warren Glen Paper Company. There was a small black top pull off that angled into a cornfield. There was a car backed into the corn. In front of the car was tripod with scope. Two men were on the scope. They were looking upward. Skyward? This is unusual. Seldom will you ever observe a scope pointed upward except at a official hawk watch site.

Here is an all-time remarkable sighting. It is in the Warren- Hunterdon area. A mature female NG was at about 100 feet altitude and carrying prey. If the prey was large, then the prey was heavier than the hawk. The hawk was flapping constantly with deep wing beats. The wing beats may have been slightly labored. The prey was carried as an Osprey carries a fish. The prey was an opossum.

The last NG I observed was in June, 1996,

shortly before we departed NJ. The hawk was coming off Beaver  Brook Country Club, at about 100 feet altitude. I did not have enough experiences to realize this was a very rare sighting, relating to the season. But, here is an interesting story. I had meet this experienced birder, when he asked me if I had observed this goshawk that hung around route 31 and route 78. I assumed he meant perched. I traveled that area for many years often seven days a week. I never noticed anything unusual. That last sighting was near this highway area.

Just another paragraph or so. Pete Kwiatek was with me on two occasions as we observed NG. Dick Dunlap was with me on two occasions as we observed NG. Dick Dardis was with me on two occasions as we observed NG.

I heard this interesting statement, just once. As I was observing NG in northern Hunterdon County, “Don Frieday was looking at- for goshawks in the Sourland Mountains.”

Dear birders: In 1996, you were not ready for my advances. Now it is 24 years later and still you are not ready for my advances.


This web sight is certainly not about birding, therefore, possibly not one birder in one thousand will take a strong interest in what I am presenting. To observe a perched NG is a rare event. To observe a NG in migration could be a rare event. The best chance to observe a NG is when the raptor is on its home base. They will often take to the sky at an average altitude of 150 feet. The idea is to get into the flight pattern of the hawk. Therefore, you have a chance to also observe the hawk’s mate or progeny. I suggest that you give up your penchant for birding and spend ninety percent of your time observing the sky and ten percent birding. At least four hours daily would be a good start, of course, weather permitting. It certainly helps if you are retired.
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I have never returned to NJ. Probably never will. I certainly miss it. It would bother me greatly to return to areas that are no longer as natural as they were. There were some areas, some very small, that were possibly the most beautiful in the U.S. Be kind and be happy. NB. Anacortes,WA.

The Thought: This is not a statement to besmirch: If your name is Clarke, I could give you the moniker “ Clarke in the Dark.”

More tactics

Here might be the best location to observe NG in Williamsport, Pa., in the suburbs in Faxon. Location: Short Park, Northway Road. This thin recreational park is in the gap of the Grampian Hills. It is a narrow gap with a small stream tucked into the base of hill.

Goshawks and Cooper’s and other raptors like to shoot the gap, from ridge line to ridge line or hill top to hill top. The tactic is for you to get into the gap and then the hawk will traverse across your line of fire. It is best in the beginning, to post up on one end of the gap. Because if you are in the middle of the gap the hawk can easily slip behind your position. It only take a few flaps and some glides to traverse this gap, possibly ten seconds. I suggest you post near the swimming pool and concentrate looking northward. About ten-percent of the time scan toward your rear, toward the dike. The raptor might set a flight pattern, couple that with the time frame and you might get close enough to get a good photograph and a better look at field marks.

A good time to observe might be one- half hour after sun-up. Or from 11-1. Or as the temps warm, 10- 3.

I am getting ahead of myself. But, here is another area (gap) to shoot. It is a wide gap. It is in San Diego. The gap between the hillsides west of the Clairemont Hills and the Clairemont Hills. It is a long gap. You can post on either end. In the bottom of the gap is The 5.

While I was observing Goshawks in S.D., I contacted a falconer I recently met in Kansas. I told of my sightings. His reply “What!? Is there winter conditions down there in San Diego?”

The thought: What would Seagull Steve Think?