[texbirds] Re: RFI - Help with Hawk?
- From: Mark Scheuerman <mark.scheuerman@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: TexBirds <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:25:38 -0600
Hi all,
Thanks for the help. What a resource! Some heavy hitters have chimed in on
this poorly photoed hawk and convinced me, juvenile Red-tail Hawk.
Sometimes it is best to go with one's first impression. Red-tails are so
highly variable! I need to learn photography or just stick to my bins. It
wasn't that high up.
Some of the private comments I received:
*I vote imm. bald eagle based on wingspan, wing shape, plus body size
relative to wingspan and coloration.
*
*
*
*Looks like a good candidate for Rough-legged to me.
*
*
*
*How big is this bird? Your pictures just give it the look of having real
heft. It looks to me most like a young Bald Eagle, perhaps in a mixed molt
plumage.
*
*
*
*For what it's worth my first impression, looking at the pictures that
clearly showed the 'windows' was along the lines of that is a nifty looking
Rough-legged Hawk. Also, for what it's worth, I have mistaken odd-looking,
dark-phase Red-tailed Hawks for Rough-legged Hawks on occasion:)
*
*
*
*For what it is worth, to me your hawk is a juvenile Rough-legged Hawk.
Everything pictured fits that identification. It definitely is NOT either
eagle (Head and wing structure)
*
*
*
*We think it's either a 2nd year dark morph RTHA or a second year Harlan's
hawk. The pale primaries are diagnostic for juvenile RTHA and Harlan's.
*
*
*
*Though I can't say for sure, for Mark's hawk, I'm going for immature
dark-morph Red-tailed, albeit maybe in a bit of an unusual plumage.
*
*
*
*I may have seen that bird and am sorry I didn't turn around to try to find
it again. I was driving down Hwy 6 in Missouri City Thursday and like you,
thought "that's a strange looking Red-tailed Hawk." I've been in Utah
recently so I've been seeing Rough-legged Hawks, and that was the first
bird that came to mind due to the underwing pattern.. Guess we won't know
for sure.*
*
*
Thanks!
Mark Scheuerman
Sugar Land, TX
On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 6:58 AM, Mark Scheuerman
<mark.scheuerman@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> Texbirders,
>
> Thanks to those responding. So far there is no consensus on this
> hawk. Maybe this bird can't be ID'd by these photos? Could it be a
> Rough-Legged Hawk?
> 2 votes for Rough-Legged Hawk (including my vote for imm RLHA)
> 1 vote for Golden Eagle
> 1 vote for N. Harrier
> 1 vote for imm Bald Eagle
>
> Funny, no votes for Red-tailed.
>
> When I first saw this bird approaching, I thought wow, a weird Red-tailed.
> I don't think its an eagle, I would have known that! I decided to try to
> get photos rather than study the bird with binoculars. Maybe that was a
> mistake. The sighting was not long as this bird was making time heading NE.
> Sure would be nice to pin down an ID. It could be a new yard/local patch
> bird.
>
>
> https://picasaweb.google.com/104360545628872140517/20130127?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLCWubPlyNafHA&feat=directlink
>
> Someone out there should be able to ID this bird.
>
> Mark Scheuerman
> Sugar Land, TX
>
>
> On Sun, Jan 27, 2013 at 7:28 AM, Mark Scheuerman <
> mark.scheuerman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> I would appreciate any thoughts on this highly cropped, poorly photoed
>> hawk from my backyard in Sugar Land yesterday.
>>
>>
>> https://picasaweb.google.com/104360545628872140517/20130127?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLCWubPlyNafHA&feat=directlink
>>
>> Mark Scheuerman
>> Sugar Land, TX
>>
>
>
Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
from the List Owner
Other related posts:
