Date:         Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:03:36 +0000
Reply-To:     cssaleeby@BELLSOUTH.NET
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Chuck Saleeby <cssaleeby@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject:      Northern Goshawk
Content-Type: text/plain

I had just entered the sparrow field at Cochran Shoals in Cobb Co. this morning when I saw a juvenal Cooper's hawk land in one of the dead trees to the left of the field.  Several minutes later as I was walking through the field parallel to the path (sort of towards the bathrooms) I saw a large raptor above the far end of the field.  I got the bird in my binos as it flew steadily right to left.  I immediately noticed the long tail, but felt it was much too big to be a Cooper's.  I could see some white between the wings and tail on the body, but this did not pass on to the rump as a Harrier would have.  The wings also appeared much too short for a Harrier.  The bird was pale underneath and darker above.  The lighting was at my back.  The bird gave several slow wingbeats and then ascended over the dead pines to the back left of the field.  This is when the dark gray back and rump were most obvious.  I was sure it was a Goshawk by the time it rose up and away from the field.  It basically looked like a large buteo with a light underside, short wings, and a long tail.  The underside was probably washed a bit with the strong sun at my back.  We had several far off sightings of a large Accipiter as well as the juv. Cooper's, Sharp-Shinned Hawk, 3 Red-Tailed's, and an Osprey throughout the morning.
We also had at least one Henslow's Sparrow, 2 Sedge Wrens, 1 Orange-Crowned warbler, 4 Blue-Headed Vireos, 1 Yellow-Throated Vireo(getting late), 1 Chestnut-Sided Warbler, and 1 Black-Throated Green Warbler among the birds in or near the field.

Chuck Saleeby
Cobb Co.
Kennesaw GA

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