Bacliff- Mature female Gos

21 December- 10:45 A.M., Intersection 146 and 646- Bacliff near Kemah, Texas. 1 mature female gos soaring and flapping at about 400 feet elevation. Also, 1 Cooper's sneaking about the houses and trees, 2 Black Vultures, 1 mature Red-shouldered Hawk. Another example of how common Goshawks are in Texas.

abrupt weather changes

Here are 3 examples of how to find and observe Northern goshawks, from where they are nesting, or roosting on their southern wintering quarters, or where they have been "put down" by the storm, be it rain, wind, snow, or electrical.
The first 2 examples are of Goshawks caught in (or escaping from) poor weather conditions. The second type of example is when the weather changes (and rapidly) from bad to good.
So, what you are trying to observe is a Goshawks fleeing from bad weather, or, when the storm clears the area, to observe the Goshawk being "released" from the storm. Then it is up to you to determine if the area is a roosting or nesting area. If after many hours and days of monitoring the area, you might determine that this area is where the raptor happened to put down, in order to ride out the storm.
In Williamsport, Pa., on the deck of my apartment, half way up the side of a steep hill, and over looking the Bald Eagle Mountains and the Susquehanna River: An electrical storm was building and heading my way. 2 large raptors were heading my way, constantly flapping, flying abreast with the wing tips of hawk nearly touching the other hawk's wing tips. The hawks showed no color, just darkness. The hawks were trying to beat the storm home. They flew off to the side of my building. The raptors were 2 female Northern Goshawks. The hillside next to the hillside on which I lived, contained nesting Goshawks.
In winter, I was walking the dike on the Susquehanna River in the suburbs of Williansport, Pa. It was damp and very cold. It had just started to snow. A mature male Goshawk was rapidly pumping, and there was no gliding for this hawk. The hawk was heading out of the river valley, in order to get into the foot hills, near where I lived. So, in both cases the Goshawks were trying to beat the storm home.
In San Diego- Mission Bay, 2000-01. I had been observing NG from De Anza RV Park. Mainly, the Goshawks were observed over the Clairmont Hills. We had had many hours of windy, rainy weather. The radio weather report told of when the storm was to break. 15 minutes before the storm was to break, I started walking to a satisfactory location. It was on the side walk of a golf course at the base of the Clairmont Hills. There was much traffic, as 5 roads converged at a traffic light. It was not a safe place to spend any amount of time. Within 15 minutes or less, a Northern goshawk presented by lifting off, out of the trees.
As an aside- I spent 4 months observing Goshawks, both male and female, in many areas of San Diego, including the Wild Animal Park, the town of La Mesa, Mission Bay, the Zoo, Point Loma, and Tijuana Slough. And possibly 1 sighting near the Mormon Church on I-5. I returned to San Diego 7 years later, for 5 days to visit with relatives. I went to my favorite spot at Mission Bay, and within minutes, I observed a male goshawk stooping on pigeons, over the Clairmont Hills. Yes, it was a very lucky sighting. 2 years later, I returned to San Diego for a week to visit with relatives, and observed the Goshawk in a new location- Carlsbad, at Lego Land. Also at the start of the Dolphin exhibit at Sea World (a female) and at the Museum of Natural History ( a female Gos in flight and perched high on a snag -then glassed as mature).
Oh! I can hear some of my detractors now! " I have lived in S. D. for 40 years, and have birded all areas nearly every weekend and...." Blah blah blah.

Building a Goshawk triangle

The goshawk triangle will be inverted. The base of the triangle will be at the average cruising altitude of the NG, at 150 -200 feet over the tall trees. If no trees , such as desert scrub, average elevation will be about the same, 200 feet over the the desert floor. The legs of the triangle will point into the tree tops. Or, the point of the triangle will reach the tree tops. Certainly, a Goshawk can stoop toward the ground to kill prey. But, many times a NG will perch high in a tree. From its initial perch a NG will usually hunt downward or downward and outward. So the triangle can be maneuvered over the surface of the terrain, in all directions. If from a roosting area-or nesting area: The Goshawk will hunt over an area of about 5 miles in many different directions from the roosting site.
The Cooper's Hawk triangle is low to the ground and the base is parallel to the ground or foliage. The point of the Cooper's triangle points toward the top of the shrubs or medium high trees.
What all of this means: Goshawks live in the sky. The NG hunting cycle is sky-tree-sky. (And the gist of this weblog is- Goshawks cannot hide in the sky. They don't wish to hide. They love the sky.)The Cooper's Hawk hunting cycle is to stay within the greenery, and sneak about. Except when the hawk wishes to get from one, long distance to another. "Long", meaning a couple of 100 yards or so. Then the Cooper's will will fly in straight-line flight over the top of the terrain, be it houses or tree tops. Or just over the top of the shrubs. When goshawks are perched in foliage, usually they are well-exposed. NG certainly will perch on telephone poles in Arizona. The NG triangle is at any one time much larger than a Cooper's Hawk hunting triangle.

Goshawk tails

William S. Clark in "Hawks" states and the illustration show : Tail -tip that is wedge shaped when folded. The question is, is that statement always true. I say no. Perched birds and perched raptors can manipulate their tail feathers, and in also in flight. Of my possibly 3,000 daily sightings of of NG, very few were observed while perched. At http://www.goshawksoftucson.blogspot.com/ is a photograph of a mature Goshawk at University of Arizona. This hawk is so high in a snag that I could not determine the the size of the hawk, therefor could not sex the bird. The photo shows a severely tapered tail and tapered tail-tip. The photo also shows a robust chest.

NG tails are usually very long. The tail tip can be square, or rounded, or, as I have noticed only once, and in Anacortes, Washington, in summer 2009 - a NG with a club shaped tail-tip! This tail-tip was also asymmetrical, thereby concluding: 2 male Goshawks were hunting at the Pioneer Trails RV Park- just outside the city limits of Anacortes, because 1 male NG had a square-tip tail (with no terminal band). So, NG can have a thick,white, terminal band; a thin, white, terminal band; or no terminal band.

NG have tails that are very broad at the base, and this broadness is carried throughout the tail length. But the tail must be folded. Even then, a mature female NG has a large area of white, fluffy, under tail coverts that can obscure the tail base.

From Anacortes, standing in my son's driveway, near the school, was a female NG cruising at about 200 feet elevation. The size, shape, altitude of the hawk all suggested NG female. The hawk was approaching my position at 50 degrees off my zenith and to the side. I glassed the hawk; the base of the tail was pinched, and was not as wide as the tail -tip. So, now I am thinking Cooper's. But too many strong points go against the hawk being a Cooper's. Explanation- the folded tail was not completely folded, it was slightly fanned.

Pete Dunne's "Hawks in Flight" chapter "Accipiters": last statement "If you are close enough, why not just count the tail bands? Goshawks show 4, Cooper's 3." I will never use that factor. Maybe I have tried that concept, but will never again. I don't need this way to identify accipiters.
First, the hawk has to be at close range. Second-the hawk must be near your zenith. Third- the hawk must have its tail fanned. Mr. Dunne's idea of tail bands goes against my concept of hawking. The idea of waiting, and observing, waiting some more, and observes some more, and then when the hawk is overhead to try and make your identification is not hawking. The goshawk, especially the female, can easily be identified nearly instantly at distances of close to 1 mile- naked eye. If not- then one half mile away. Or would you believe 400 yards away? Hawk watching is not a waiting game, hoping the hawk will pass near your position. Once the novice hawk watcher begins looking for field marks or specific color-patterns, then the novice hawk watcher is reverting into becoming a birder. The main factors of hawking are size, shape, and movement of wings. And at the same time, the general color of the hawk, such as black, brown, white, or gray is automatically taken into the sub-conscious. One more item, and you will not find this in field guides- Northern Goshawks with folded tails will show that the under tail is black- except for the white terminal band. Again we are talking of hawks in flight-and not at close range. If you analyze Mr. D. A. Sibley's artwork on accipiter's tails in "Hawks in Flight", it does not suggest what Pete Dunne suggests.

On mature Cooper's- perched

Mature Cooper's Hawks: Do not have to have a dark skull cap. Do not have to have tawny cheeks or a flat head- or have the eye appear to be pushed toward the forward area of the head. Mature Cooper's can have very pale pink or orange vermiculation on the chest, which may be difficult to " pick up" at close range- naked eye. Every item above does not represent the norm. Mature Cooper's can have a rounded head. Cooper's generally, have a very long tail. They can hide their thick, white terminal band by controlling the tail feathers, while perched. The tail-tip will be tapered, showing just a hint of white. But, if the hawk leaves its perch, ( I followed this bird one quarter mile to its next perch), you will notice that the hawk has a thick, white terminal band on a rounded tail-tip. Or, you might observe the terminal band as the hawk leaves its perch.

goshawks of WMPT., Pa.

Williamsport, previously named Billtown, was my second area of introduction to breeding NG. After many years of residing in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, I took residence in WMPT., and from the git-go started observing NG in many areas; perched downtown State College, Bald Eagle State Park, West of WMPT. , South WMPT., Rose Valley, Farragut, a few sightings East of WMPT., and at Montour Preserve in Montour County. The following information will contain insights and facts of NG and Cooper's Hawks.


NG are breeding in the suburbs of Williamsport. Goshawks love mixed- hardwood forests. Forests in the East are encroaching upon the cities and suburbs. At the same time housing developments and small Mom and Pop farms are encroaching into the forests. You should contemplate: What is your definition of a forest?! If you could rise slightly above the countryside in a glider or a small aircraft, would your definition of a forest become modified?



Goshawks are nesting in the very well- maintained suburbs of WMPT., in Faxon. There are many Pin Oak in Faxon. OAK, especially Pin Oak draw-in many species of small game- and large game. The word OAK is synonymous with GOS; not all oak, but certainly Pin Oak. I only resided in WMPT. and Pennsylvania for 1 and one half years.



The legs of Northern goshawks; a female NG was hunting in and about a recreational field. This area contained an Olympic swimming pool, a children's park, a football field, a baseball field, volley ball courts, a jogging track, a small stream of rill that bordered one side, and a road that lead out of the suburbs. Possibly, I didn't have my binos while walking in the park. So, I hurried back to my apartment, about a half mile away, then up the steep hill to the actual apartment. I grabbed my scope and made it back to the park. The female NG was still there hunting, perched on guard rails and stop sign. Out come - if you scope a female Goshawk, and there are no obstructions and the the hawk is quite level with your position, then you will notice the large, powerful-looking legs. And the legs will be yellow or yellow-green. Northern goshawks were nesting on that steep, wooded hill side. That hill side is separate from the hill that I lived on. The hills are separated by the road and the flat land of the recreational park. By walking the park, very close to the road- and glassing into the hard wood trees, I saw branchers , also called limbers, i.e., very young NG creeping along the branches.
NG also like to "shoot the gap", usually gliding and flapping from one ridge line to another ridge line, i.e., from their nesting hillside to the other hill top or hillside, on which I lived. The reason why I elaborated on the park was to inform that NG do not sneak about, do not sneak away from humans. What this means is that NG prefer to observe you and your activities from above.
COOPER'S HAWKS many times will sneak away from you or your position , while traveling at low levels, sometimes below your eye level . Generally, a Cooper's Hawk will sneak away at the same height or position from which it was perched! Also, a Cooper's Hawk will follow the contours of any structure, if it wishes. For example, at poolside: Buildings of showers, laundry room, saunas; a Cooper's enters the pool area at 12 feet elevation. Then the hawk nearly crashes with the wall. But no, the hawk climbs the wall and reaches the eaves of the roof. Now the Cooper's follows the roof's pitch to the roof's peak. Now the hawk has options; many times the hawk will not rise above the line of the roof's peak, i.e., the hawk will dive or continue along at the same level. PLEASE heed: Goshawks do not act in this manner! Another example of a Cooper's Hawk . You are on one side of a wall, about 4 feet high. You notice a Cooper's Hawk on the other side, heading toward you and the wall. You wait- the Cooper's does not fly over the wall . You wait- the Cooper's does not land on the wall.
But now, the Cooper's Hawk is on your side of the wall sneaking (flying) past your position. How can this be!? Answer- on the other side of the wall is a thick scrub or tree; on your side of the wall is another bush, or the same bush as on the other side, but hanging over the wall and on your side. The Cooper's hawk crawled and hid in the bush and went over the wall still in the bush. So what happened was that the hawk never presented a silhouette as it made it over to your side. PLEASE heed: Goshawks do not act in this manner! We are not talking field marks, or color, or size!
Generally, the dorsal area of a Cooper's Hawk if brown, and will be darker than a NG dorsal area. Generally, you will be comparing a Cooper's dark brown dorsal area to a NG gray, pewter- gray, purple-gray, purple-black, silver gray. You may observe Cooper's Hawks with solid gray dorsal areas. Now it is time to understand the concept- is the bird "giving you something or is the bird offering you something" !? In this case the Cooper's is offering you something. In other words- you should not accept that offer. Well, how do you know the difference between being given something and something being offered? Only with years of field work can you understand the concept. Another way to look at it - if a friend gives you something, you take it. But, if a friend offers you something, you do not have to accept it. Your friend is giving you an out- when just offering you something.
When a raptor or any entity presents, let us say a shape or color, make sure the object is inspected for an adequate amount of time. Now, we shift to the Pacific North West. I have observed 2-4 just female NG with slight dihedral and some with very strong dihedral. Now, I do not know if this is a permanent condition with these particular female NG. Also, I have noticed some, just female NG with very slow and deep wing beats as if the the NG was exhausted, and sometimes these exhausted NG will point their heads upwards, tail downwards and slowly climb nearly vertical. It seems as if the hawk stopped flapping that it would slide downward, tail first. A mature female NG has long, white, fluffy, under tail coverts. At times the under tail coverts will ride upward and cover the sides of the base of the tail. Now, when a mature female starts to climb straight upward, the under tail coverts will wrap around the base of the tail-top, and will show a white patch- so now are you observing a Northern Harrier? No. The general shape of the wings and over-all structure, plus the gray dorsal area will express Goshawk. The main reason for this little story is to show that you should observe any particular point of interest for an adequate amount of time. So that temporary white patch on the upper tail was an offering.

Merlins

9 December - Kemah. 10 Parakeets were on a wire. Then there were none. A Merlin came ripping through, at about 60 miles per hour. Merlins are smarter than Peregrine Falcons. This Merlin came through at level flight. Peregrines have a tendency to stoop. And at times will crash into wires, tree limbs, and the ground. Thereby, killing themselves.

Most fooled

The time I was most fooled-outside of the suburbs of Williamsport , Pa., in an open area. 2 raptors were gliding on flat, stiff, and level wings, and flying wing tip to wing tip. I surely felt they were 2 female Goshawks. These hawks were gray, gray-black. The hawks had no belly bands, nor pataginal marks. Yet the hawks were Red-tailed hawks!

Now in Kemah

8 December 9:30 a.m. 1 male goshawk circling over 50 pigeons circling. We are in Kemah at Marina Bay RV Resort, and will be here until January 7.

Female NG

3 December 10:15 A. M. Near Wal-mart on Loop 323 and Texas 64, about 3 miles from Tyler Airport. 1 female Gos at 600 feet elevation. The hawk was flapping, gliding, soaring, drifting, circling. Observation time - about 3 minutes. Another example of the commonality of goshawks and also, the "readily available for observation" are Goshawks. Do not come to the Tyler Airport area and expect to find and observe perched Goshawks. Finding NG is all about hawk watching, i.e., raptors in flight and not raptors in migration. Very few NG are observed at official hawk watch sites. Why, I don't know. Because very few NG are observed at fall-migration time has no bearing on the fact that NG in fall, winter, and spring can be observed in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, all of San Diego's area, and all of Coastal Washington, and in most areas of Arizona. Of course, I am speaking of my actual experiences.

Bald Eagle plus NG

28 November 12:15 p.m. near Wal -mart on Broadway in Tyler.
1 mature Bald Eagle circling at about 500 feet elevation and 1 NG gliding at about 700 feet elevation. This area is certainly a disparate area from the Tyler Airport, meaning- I have observed at least 3, probably 4, different NG in Tyler.

Tyler male NG aged

27 November 8:45 a. m. Spring Creek RV Park- near Tyler Airport. 1 immature male NG. Finally, this hawk circled once, near my zenith at about 75 feet elevation. The chest and belly suggested immature. This hawk has been observed many times, and has a square- tip tail with NO white terminal band.

goshawk doubles

25 November - near Tyler Airport- 3:30 p.m
NG doubles! The female ,soaring and drifting at about 1,000 feet elevation- then as the female went out of sight, the male entered the sky at about 700 feet elevation. Observation time- 2 minutes for each bird- four minutes total.

26 November - same location- 11:45 a.m.
1 male NG, soaring and flapping, at about 200 feet elevation. This NG was not migrating through.

hunting for goshawks

When hunting for goshawks, position is of utmost importance. It's position, position, position. It is not habitat, or location. If you wish to use habitat, or call a particular area a particular habitat, well , that is up to you and your definitions. OK- so you are in a particular habitat, but within that habitat, position, position, position is of primary importance. Reminder- Goshawks are not "habitat conscious" - they are "prey conscious." Goshawks obtain their knowledge of prey by perusing the landscape (whatever name you wish to call that landscape) by cruising at average altitude 150-200 feet elevation, (or higher). Just by gaining some altitude, such as "taking the high ground" of high school bleachers, or the I-10 and South Kolb Road overpass in Tucson, you will be practicing- finding an ideal position for that particular area!

The problem with getting up into stadium bleachers is that you are trapping yourself. In order to chase that hawk (if you wish), to get under that hawk for a full -silhouette photograph, or to get more information on that particular hawk- such as: shape of tail-tip; description of terminal band; age and/or sex of bird; you will have to descend the bleachers, hop on your bike, or make it out of the parking lot to get to your vehicle. At times, you will be lucky and be able to spot that raptor yet in flight. But, will probably not catch up with the hawk, as it will always be well ahead of you. It is also possible the hawk will go to perch, and you may get lucky as you keep your focus on all telephone poles and tall snags! And this act of being trapped is one of the main reasons why birders are not aware of the commonality of Goshawks. BIRDERS are always (with intent) TRAPPING THEMSELVES.

Goshawk fleeing

23 November 3:15 P.M. - near Tyler Airport. 1 male NG. Hunter's shots were fired. From this area and rapidly, ripping away from the area was a male NG, pumping over the tree tops , in silhouette. This raptor was too large to be a Sharpie. The wing structure and wing movement suggested NG, NOT Cooper's Hawk.

24 November 12:15 P.M. Near Tyler Airport. 1 NG circling over and over again, at about 700 feet elevation. The hawk was near the sun most of the time - observation time about 2-3 minutes. The hawk may have been female, because of the longish wing span. The hawk had a tail-tip that was wedge shaped and rounded. The terminal band was white and may have been thick. NO white under tail coverts were visible, so the hawk was probably immature. This is not the NG (male) that I have been observing at the Tyler Airport area!

Apologies- Tucson birders

Dear birders and hawk watchers of Tucson; I am sorry that Northern Goshawks are a common species in all of Tucson. I am sorry: that for 22 months, I have been observing Goshawks in Tucson, starting in winter 2000-01. I am sorry that you have not observed Goshawks -- and in Tucson.

My favorite phrase

I prefer to use the term- " I expect Northern Goshawks to find me." Just as I informed the Texas listserve 3 months before my arrival that I expected Northern Goshawks me. Certainly, NG soaring at 150-200 feet elevation, or more, will observe me well before I observe them. Not that the NG have any particular interest in me or any other object that is not prey. Now, if I happen to come upon , or work my way toward a perched NG ( a very rare event) then I prefer to say something like- "I found a (this) Goshawk perched "... so here I go again ... when I return to Tucson in winter 2010-11, I expect NG to find me. I have never been to to Austin yet, yet I expect Goshawks to find me there. It does make sense, for if Goshawks are in Austin now, and I won't be there until March, then I am the one being found! Oh my, that is heavy.

Hawk watch- Tyler Airport

18 November 2-3 P.M.- Tyler Airport. I was posted at Tyler Airport for 1 hour. 1 Goshawk, soaring very high, over the airport. Bright sun. Also, approximately 300 grackles, 10 Meadow Larks, 2 Savannah Sparrows, 4 crows, 10 Black Vultures, 20 T.V., 2 mature Red-tailed Hawks.

Tijuana Slough

Tijuana Slough: Do you mean to say- that over 370 species of birds have been observed at Tijuana Slough, including Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, and Sharp-shinned Hawks, and there is no niche for a Northern Goshawk!? What happened to the logic? Did the logic dissipate into the sky? If you where looking into the sky for the logic- you would have seen the Goshawk!

Windy- goshawk

16 November 2:45 P.M. near Tyler Airport. 1 male NG - 10 crows alerted me as they mobbed something. That something in the sky was a male NG. The hawk was pushed for over 600 yards through the sky at elevations of 150 to 75 feet. The winds were gusting to 30 miles per hour. Temps were in middle to upper 40's. Observation time- 30 seconds.

3 minute goshawk

15 November 12:30 P. M. - Near Tyler Airport. 1 male goshawk soaring at about 500 -600 feet elevation. This hawk was not migrating through. The tail -tip was squared with no terminal band. Observation time- about 3 minutes. Winds at 0 miles per hour. Lighting conditions- diffused.

Letter to J. Silar

15 November - Here is a transcript of an email to J. Silar of www.birdingonthe.net
Mr. J. Silar- you have something to offer- and so do I! Please keep up with your project. Do not let your project become diluted. Do not give in to that bunch of (good old boys and gals). Their 2 cents' worth is not worth my 10 dollars. The best- Nelson Briefer (the man who saw too many Goshawks).

An intelligent professor

In my 16 years of working with goshawks, I have heard possibly only 1 intelligent statement. During my first winter in Tucson 2000-01, I contacted Dr. William Mannan of Tucson to inform him of my sightings of NG in Tucson. Dr. Mannan commented: I would not be surprised to find that goshawks were living in Tucson.

insight 5

Get yourself to an official hawk watch site. Be prepared to spend possibly 2 years of migration experiences before you start to break out on your own and start setting up your own rotating-revolving hawk watch sites, and become a full-time hawk watcher.

insight 4

Any "large" accipiter is automatically a goshawk and happens to be female. Large meaning: the size of a Red-tailed Hawk; a slim, trim, Red-tailed Hawk. Make it simple; don't complicate the issue!

Another sighting- Tyler NG

14 November 10 a.m. near Tyler Airport. 1 Goshawk circling, flapping, and gliding at about 200 feet elevation. The winds were steady at about 15 miles per hour.

Insight 3

To see a perched Goshawk is a rare event. But, this rare event is just one side of a coin. Northern Goshawks can be an elusive species, but not in the sky!

Insight 2

You show me doves: And I will show you Goshawks

You show me pigeons: And I will show you Goshawks

You show me quail: And I will show you Goshawks

Silly birders

I am not interested in what you have have not seen. I am not interested in hearing you elaborate on what others' have not observed. I have lived many years in New Jersey and have not won the lottery . I moved to Pennsylvania and never had a winning lottery ticket. I have spent many months in Tucson and I never saw a winning ticket. I have never been to China or Finland. i have never seen a Painted Bunting. Now, do you understand how silly I sound. That is the way you sound to me. Your 2 cents' worth is not worth my 10 dollars!

NG of San Diego

Why is it that all of the NG entering Texas have to go completely through Texas in order to get into Mexico. Answer: They don't! Some of the NG entering Texas never get to areas such as Hazel- Basemore Hawk Watch. They do a "drop off" into areas such as Livingston, Tyler, Rockport, Fulton, Goose Island State Park, and Aransas N. W. R., and spend time as a winter resident, and will not migrate out until probably late May or early April.
The same conditions exist in San Diego (SD). The NG entering Southern Coastal California do not have to go all the way into Mexico. NG can be found in the town of Carlsbad, Ca., to the Mexican border; in the town of La Mesa, the wild Animal Park, Mission Bay and the surrounding hills, the Zoo, Point Loma, and Tijuana Slough.
NG can be observed in Edison, an area just east of Bakersfield. Bakersfield should be a hot spot for Goshawks.

Gyr Falcon story

While birding the Montour Preserve in Montour County, Pennsylvania, I observed a raptor travelling through, heading southward. I could not with confidence identify this Buteo-falcon-like bird. However , some factors pointed toward Gyr Falcon. While at an Audubon meeting in Williamsport, Pa., I relayed my sighting to a Master Falconer. The falconer stated: I was driving toward Bloomsburg, Pa., when I spotted this large raptor perched. So, I pulled over and glassed the bird. It was a Gyr Falcon. So, when I returned from my trip, I called a falconer in Bloomsburg. This falconer at one time was my apprentice. The falconer replied, " Oh yea! We know about this bird. For the last 2 years, we have been observing this hawk." Since, the Montour Preserve is a few miles north of Bloomsburg, it is possible the raptor I observed was a Gry Falcon. I do find it perplexing that a falconer would not inform his past- instructor, who lived only 40 minutes away, of this exciting find.

My relationship to any birder

In my many years of birding (to my knowledge) I have observed only 3-4 rare birds. I will never say a birder misidentified a bird unless I am with that birder in the field and we are both observing the same bird.

The Common Northern Goshawk

This organization (Common Northern Goshawk), founded and foundered, or if you prefer, floundered by me was an attempt to inform that NG were a common species in most areas of the United States, and were moving into cities and suburbs, and have been doing so for many years. After obtaining my papers to operate a nonprofit organization- and realizing that I could not bring birders into the fold, after 1 year of obtaining the license, I realized that it was time to cut my losses. So, 6 months later, I dissolved the nonprofit organization. Basically, it is a testament to lack of interest of birders to take an interest in field work with raptors in flight. But, then again, possibly I have fallen for the trap of thinking that a huge percentage of the population has a serious interest in birds. My opinion is that a very small percentage of population of the United States are seriously interested in birding.

My success with NG

To me there is no holiday, no vacation, no migration, no invasion. It all comes under the heading of hawk watching. I will never live in an area that does not contain NG. And that is my feeling toward this remarkable species. Let me clarify- I am referring only to the action of a NG in flight. I care to call NG - silver Ravens. Yet, a Goshawk can never match the antics and actions of a Raven in flight. My success with NG comes about in this manner: I can identify raptors naked eye at distances up to about 1 mile. While driving down a winding mountain road at 15 miles per hour, I can identify the raptors circling over head. While driving the freeway at 65 miles per hour, I can identify raptors in flight. So, now I have a huge advantage over the common birder, even the advanced birder. One more thought- I do not need to carry a field guide. I don't need a field trip leader to tell me where to meet and when, and what to bring along. I don't need to go to remote areas (I prefer to do my hawking in cities and suburbs). I do not need binoculars (but in most cases, I carry binos). Call my bluff - be with me in the field.

Russian jet fighter- Tyler Airport

8 November- about 5 P. M. Very near Tyler Airport. It appeared to be a Russian MiG fighter plane circling over the RV Park. As the jet flew over again and hit the afterburner I realized that it was a MiG, as I viewed with binos. So, on the web site of the Tyler Airport Museum, it states that a MiG 17 is housed there. It is not available for public observation. This was the first MiG that I have observed in flight. I liked the lines (structure) of the jet.

Another NG sighting

8 November 12:30 P. M. - Just south of Tyler Airport. 1 male NG. The hawk was pumping and gliding. A typical male NG at about 300 feet elevation, heading toward the airport. Observation time- about 30 seconds.

goshawks of Coastal Bend Texas

In winter 2002-03 in Rockport, Texas, I personally contacted Mr. Michael Marsden and Mr. Charlie Clark and their group of followers. The subject- my finding of Goshawks in Rockport in December 2002. Again, at a Christmas Bird Count supper in early January, I personally informed Mr. Marsden and his group of followers- that again , I observed the same mature, polymorphic, female Goshawk in Rockport. Mr. Marsden and Mr. Clark dropped the ball! No matter, I continued on to observe Goshawks (NG) in Rockport, Fulton, Lamar Peninsula, and Aransas N.W.R. For a total of 4 months of sightings of NG on Coastal Bend Texas. So, now it is 2009 and what do we have?- six years of dropping the ball. In all fairness, I have not been to Coastal Bend Texas since 2003. But, I will be in Rockport again for 1 month in February. I will give you strong odds (2-1) that I will be observing NG in Rockport. I was not surprised to find NG on Coastal Bend Texas, since in 1998, I made a brief stay in Texas for the first time in Livingston. Again, I was not surprised to observe a Goshawk to my front, gliding away from me, just over the tops of tall evergreen trees. Hint: If hawking in Rockport stay within the city limits, in areas of Wall Mart, Tiger Field, the golf course, Connie Hager Wetlands. Don't go to the South or West of Rockport. You might try Goose Island State Park or the causeway over the bay. Good Luck!

Washington birders

This is what you might get from a very few members of the Skagit and Island County Audubon Societies, in Washington. "I would not be surprised to learn of Goshawks (NG) nesting on Mount Erie, in Anacortes, or at Deception Pass." The birders of Coastal Washington are not interested in the commonality of NG in Western Washington. Call my bluff- be with me in the field. If you happen to read or have been told that birders would kill to see a Goshawk, please understand, that is a complete lie. Birders are not interested in raptors in flight.

Red-shouldered Hawk

6 November 10:30 a.m. Near Tyler Airport. 1 mature Red- Shouldered Hawk. The hawk was low, over head. The hawk was long winged and was bulky. As the hawk flew away- the dorsal view was spectacular.

birders shortcomings

Now hear this! Mr. Dennis Paulson has published a detailed account of birds in Washington. Mr. Paulson has published that Goshawks are a rare winter visitor to Western Washington- meaning west of the Cascade Mountains. Also Mr. Meng has stated the same condition. I will give Mr. Paulson the benefit of the doubt. At the time of his field work relating to Goshawks it is possible MR. Paulson is correct. Or, did Mr. Paulson just use the writing of Dr. Meng. But, I have to say that Mr. Meng and Mr. Paulson do not know Goshawks. Knowing how to identify Goshawks is not the same as knowing the bird- in fact there may be a big difference. From the git-go, in 1999, when I arrived in Anacortes and also nearby (9 miles away) Deception Pass, I observed that Goshawks were a common species. It is possible that when I arrived on Coastal Washington- that is when the Goshawks arrived- but it is not likely. Goshawks can be observed in Bellingham, La Conner, Seattle, Tacoma, Lopez Island, Orcas Island, Anacortes, and near Fir Island- all a part of Western Washington. The Audubon Societies of Skagit and Island County are in the dark.

19 years of Goshawks

In my 19 years of field work, I have always lived with Goshawks, not only in spring , winter, and fall, but also in summer, near their breeding areas, in Williamsport, Pa., Anacortes, Wa., Deception Pass area, Wa., and Hunterdon County, New Jersey.

insights 2

Think about this: what is your definition of: invasion, desert, a hybrid, migration, stepping- stone migration, east-west migration, a combination of east-west, stepping-stone migration. All of these questions might be applied to Goshawks. Thoughts- If Goshawks breed in Mexico- do they migrate northward into Southern Arizona, Southern Coastal California, and various areas of Texas.

My understanding- your myths

This from a field-trip leader in Tucson- who is also a birding partner of Mr. Rick Wright. And what is Mr. Wright's excuse for not understanding that Northern Goshawks, male and female, mature and immature, and also male and female polymorphic Goshawks can be found in Tucson?! " Northern Goshawks live in thick forests and at high elevation." This statement is only partially true. It my be that every nesting Goshawk may at some time in their life span migrate.
From Mr. Perry, Director of Tucson Game and Fish: Northern Goshawks do not live in the desert. And that is blatantly false statement. Now, it is very important to have a good concept of the words you use. Tucson is not a desert, Tucson is an oasis in the desert. Northern Goshawks are drawn toward an oasis. And Tucson is a big oasis! Goshawks can live in the desert, but prefer the cities and suburbs.
From a biologist, who has experiences monitoring Goshawk nests: I would not expect to find Goshawks at this low of an elevation here on Coastal Washington. Goshawks are the attack aircraft of the forest. The warthog - like aircraft. [ And then this beauty] Cooper's Hawks can be found soaring over ridge lines and traversing from ridge line to ridge line. Goshawks don't.

Insight 1

Northern Goshawks love the wind, sun, clouds, and thermals. Cooper's don't. But Cooper's do during migration times. I.E., Goshawks have an affinity for the sky. When Cooper's Hawks settle into their nesting location or settle in on their southern wintering quarters, they loose their affinity for the sky. This is the most important insight of my 19 years of continuous field work with Goshawks. Remember insight 1.

Defining this weblog

This weblog will contain information toward individuals and organizations that have body-slammed me. If you don't appreciate my opinions- then that is too bad.

This Weblog is about me and my Goshawks. I am not interested in your prattle. I don't care of your opinions, comments, or questions. I am not interested in what you have not seen. I am not interested in what others have told you about what they have not seen. Your 2 cents worth of information cannot equal my 10 dollars!

In this weblog I will present insights that you have never thought of. I will present my 12 hour plan - or how to find a needle in a hay stack. Or how to find any Goshawk in any area of the United States, if available. I will also explain in detail of how to use abrupt weather changes in order to find and observe the Goshawk. Know this- abrupt weather changes is a two-way street. I know that you are thinking; abrupt weather changes mean: weather conditions going from good to bad. Well- that is only one side of a coin. I will sign off many times in this manner: Call my bluff- be with me in the field.

Tyler goshawks

This weblog is a direct continuation of my just completed season in Anacortes, Wa. 5 October 2009- I left Anacortes and headed for Texas. 1 female Goshawk-over I-5 and 41st Street exit- Everett, Wa. The hawk was at altitude of 200 feet and was circling, pumping, and gliding, meaning: the bird was "giving up its species". This is another example of many, that Goshawks are moving into cities and suburbs. I was passing through at 55 miles per hour. I'm Texas bound- to observe the many Goshawks there.
14 October 1:20 P.M. Mesa Verde, Co. 1 male NG ripping through at 200 feet elevation- over the visitor center.
17 October 2 P.M. Albuquerque (Old Town). 1 female NG circling over and over again with pigeons= at about 200 feet elevation.
20 October 10 A.M. Albuquerque- KOA Park on I-40, East Albuquerque. 1 mature female NG- low over head- flapping and gliding, as I was in my truck practicing harmonica. I gave chase on bike with camera. After 30 minutes, I gave up. I could not re-locate the bird.

TEXAS- in less than 48 hours of my arrival in Tyler- my first visit to Tyler. 27 October- 1 NG. The raptor crossed in front of my moving truck at elevation of about 150 -200 feet. The hawk was flapping and gliding as a NG can flap- with deep , flexible , and rapid wing beats. Observation at 11:45 A.M. Location- University of Texas-Tyler

29 October 8 A.M. Spring Creek RV Park - very near Tyler Airport. 1 male NG- Struggling somewhat in the 15 miles per hour winds. the bird came directly over head at about 100 feet elevation. The lighting conditions were at low level. Therefor, I could not age the raptor. Observation time- about 40 seconds. The bird was flapping as a NG can flap, with deep, flexible, and rapid wing beats. The tail was completely folded and showed the typical thick base- this wideness was carried throughout the length of the tail. The raptor had the typical: large arm-small hand with pointed wing tips. The hawk was the size of a large crow. Emphatically, the wrists were jutting forward. The head of the bird was within the valley of the wrists. If viewing the bird from broadside, the head would be hidden in the valley of the wrists.

ALSO on 29 October - same location. 1 male Goshawk- gliding low about 20 feet over the Bermuda grass pasture. Naked eye- the bird was about 150 yards from my position. I assumed the raptor was a Cooper's because of the flight pattern. The bird appeared brown. Then the bird hit the tree line and trees and was in silhouette. This bird was clearly a male NG. The size and shape suggested such. The bird was playing with the wind, at steady 20 -25 miles per hour, by rising 30 feet over the tree tops and diving into the tree tops over and over again. The wings were typical NG in active flight, very deep, very flexible, and rapid. Was this the same bird I saw in the morning?!

30 October 12:15 P.M. Tyler Airport. Bright sun -cool temps. Goshawk doubles! Both hawks were 45 degrees off my zenith. The top bird was at about 4,000 feet elevation. At times it gave the typical NG flap. The lower bird at about 500 feet elevation never flapped. The lower bird appeared to be female. The upper bird appeared to be male. Observation time -about 4 minutes. My feeling was that these hawks were migrating through - southward.

NOTE: for the continuation of this weblog, the action of any typical NG or the structure of the hawk will not be recorded in my field notes, and not reported on in the sightings parts of the blog. The tail -tip shape and terminal band will be presented , if observed. This is critical information, toward my insights. As is the elevation of bird (EOB).