Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Five minute Goshawk

24 June  2:30 p.m.  Mt. Erie School - Anacortes
1 male NG circling over and over again- and doing mostly flapping. Elevation of hawk- 200 feet. Then the hawk went to 500 feet elevation. Observation time - 5 minutes; bright sun. The sighting was naked eye.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Raven attacking a male NG

21 June  6:30 p.m. Anacortes
From my back deck which overlooks Anacortes - 1 raven was constantly attacking a male NG. The wing beats-plus the size- and the wing holdings and the length of tail indicated male NG. The observation started 1 mile from my position, and was heading toward me. The NG appeared to be carrying small prey. As the battle went to my flank and a house and trees blocked my view- I left my position and entered the street in front of my house expecting to resume the observation. And I was correct as the NG was well past my position and ripping through the very tips of the evergreen trees on a hillside over looking my ridge line. There is no doubt that the NG was heading toward MT. Erie. This is a rare sighting- to observe a goshawk in flight- as this is now the nesting season. Bright sun- observation time about 4 minutes- elevation of hawk about 200 feet.