Immature White GYR Falcon

13 December - The book by Bill Clark, HAWKS, helped to nail the species as white and immature. That is - the words and the artwork. The Gyr was observed yesterday at Sullivan Road- Skagit Flats.

GYR Falcon

12/12/12  Skagit Flats- Sullivan Road -which is North of D'Arcy Road  3:30 P.M
1 Gyr Falcon- described as white, but also black, and gray. The perched falcon had a very long tail which was tapered- this is distinctive. The head was very light gray. There was a dark belly band. The chest was white. The under tail was white. The wings and back were of brown, with distinct white flecks. There appeared to be no facial markings. The body of the hawk was very robust. The hawk appeared to be very calm and relaxed. There were ducks very near in a rain pond.

Golden Eagle- Skagit Flats

5 December   3 P.M.  Skagit Flats
1 Mature Golden Eagle, 8 Bald Eagles, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 R.T. Hawk all in flight and all in one small area of the sky. Also 1 perched R.T. Hawk. All sightings within 10 minutes.

EDISON Goshawk

Also on 26 November  1:40 P.M.   D'arcy Road- EDISON
1 Goshawk soaring , flapping , and gliding at about 250 feet elevation. The sighting was naked eye- drive by. The sun was bright and zero wind. If I had stopped I would have been able to sex and age the Hawk. If you need binos to identify accipiters- then you certainly are not a hawk watcher.

Goshawk- cold November

26 November  10:30 P.M.  Saint Mary's Church
1 Goshawk at 150 feet elevation, flapping and gliding. Observation Time about 40 seconds, naked eye.
The morning had a heavy frost. No wind- bright sun.

Saint Mary's Goshawk

24 November  2:30 P.M.  Saint Mary's Church
1 Male NG in a rapid glide. The hawk was below tree level, then swooped upward to the tall evergreen, near the top in an open position.The sighting was naked eye.

Another NG sighting for NOV.10

10 November  2:45 P.M. again at MT. Erie School
1 male NG soaring, flapping, gliding , and drifting at about 150 feet elevation. The wind was cold and steady at 10 plus miles per hour.

male NG and Sharpie

10 November  9:30 A.M.- Mt. Erie School, Anacortes
1 male NG - soaring ,drifting, gliding, and flapping at 200 feet elevation. Observation time 2 minutes. 1 Sharpie in flight and perched and in flight many times. Hawking while walking and naked-eye. I love it . Don't you.

Boo- female goshawk

31 October   2 P.M. Saint Mary Church
1 female NG at about 100 feet elevation in hunting mode. Winds were steady at 15-20 M.P.H. The hawk went to stoop to ground level, then up and back down. Observation time - about 20 seconds. Hawking while walking - I love it . Don't you.

Light rain goshawk

18 October 3:15 P.M. Grand View Cemetery  Anacortes
1 male NG cruising through at 150 feet elevation in light rain, the rain chasing the hawk toward its roosting- nesting area.1 Fox Sparrow in w-rose bush at 8 feet away.

Goshawk Skagit County Airport

17 October 1:30 P.M.  Skagit County Airport
1 male Goshawk drifting and flapping. The bird was observed low overhead, but was in the sun. Therefor, I could not age the hawk.

Naked eye doubles

5 October   2:30 P.M.   41st Street Anacortes
2 NG soaring, gliding, flapping, drifting, and cavorting. Near Mt. Erie school. Hawking while walking, naked eye. I love it. don't you. The second NG sighting of the day. Hawks were at about 150 feet elevation.

Mature male goshawk

4 October  10:30 A.M.  Mt. Erie School 41st street - Anacortes
1 Mature Male NG - soaring, gliding, flapping, and drifting at first 75 feet elevation then at 150 feet elevation. I love it. Don't you. Hawking while walking.

Clay-colored Sparrow

4 October  10 A.M.  Anacortes dog walk- baseball field - H Ave.

1 C.C. Sparrow on ground always feeding. Observation time- 20 minutes. The bird was 20 feet away. I left the area with the sparrow yet feeding.

16 August  3:30 P.M. Saint Mary's Church- Anacortes
1 female NG- naked eye. The hawk was circling, flapping, and drifting, at 100 feet elevation then going to 200 feet elevation. The hawk had a rounded tail- tip with a thick, white terminal band. Observation time about 3 minutes.

17 July  8:45 A.M.  41 Street - Anacortes
1 mature male NG ripping through, broadside and turning 90 degrees away from my position. And carrying small prey. This was not a Paulson's Northern goshawk. The hawk was at about 150 feet elevation.

Summer goshawk

3 July  12:30 P.M.  Downtown Anacortes
1 male NG flapping with no problem in 20 mile per hour wind. Elevation of hawk 150 feet.This hawk was not a Dennis Paulson's Northern goshawk. Dennis Paulson's Northern goshawk can be observed in this area rarely and only in winter.

Anacortes NG

22 April 3:30 p.m. - SAINT MARY CHURCH- ANACORTES
1 NG CIRCLING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AT ABOUT 200PLUS FEET ELEVATION. OBSERVATION TIME ABOUT 5 MINUTES. STRUCTURE AND PROPORTIONS SUGGEST MALE. OVERALL SIZE SUGGEST MALE.

Male Gos

10 April 2:15 P.M. Anacortes
1 male NG ripping through at about 200 feet elevation, heading for d-town Anacortes. There was a R.T. Hawk in the same area of sky that was being chased by 2 crows.

Hawking anacortes

7 April 4 P.M. Anacortes
All within 5 minutes of 20 minutes of hawk watching. 3 Balds soaring with 2 Peregrine soaring high over them. Then a Merlin came ripping through at 200 feet elevation.

Goshawk doubles at Unknown

4 April 11: 30 A.M. Anacortes
1 male NG circling in hunting mode at about 300 feet elevation. The hawk had a very slightly rounded tail-tip. Observation time about 5 minutes. Then at same area 1 female NG was circling and went to 500 feet elevation. Observation time another 5 minutes. At one point both hawks could be observed, together. I departed the area with the female yet circling. The area is called "unknown".

NG Anacortes

30 March 1 P.M. Downtown Anacortes
1 NG circling over Anacortes at about 150 feet elevation. The hawk was in hunting mode.

One goshawk

25 March 12:45 P.M. St. Mary Church
1 NG circling, flapping, and drifting at 200 feet elevation. Observation time about 90 seconds. I wonder what Mr. Dennis Paulson would think. I think he should stick to his museum samples.

Male NG

10 February 3 P.M. St. Mary's Church - Anacortes
1 male NG rapidly flapping and gliding onto the top of a 75 foot tall tree. This is another example of how I shine when it comes to NG observations and identification, especially in cities and suburbs.

1 male NG-

13 January 2012 4:30 P.M. Anacortes

1 male NG -steady pumping and gliding at about 250 feet elevation. The hawk was not-quite ripping through the sky. The hawk was coming from Anacortes, CITY.