I agree with the ID and it brings back memories for me. In 1988 I found a
hawk just like this on Sauvie's Island. It was very shy and never was found
near a road. If I got out of the car and tried to approach it, it would fly
on a distance. I made many attempts to photograph it but was unsuccessful
that year. It returned the following winter and after much effort I managed
to get a few distant photos. It took me quite a while to figure out what it
was because I didn't even know there was a white morph Harlan's. In those
days there wasn't much interest in such Birds and not much available for
their identification. It would be nice to think this was the same bird but
it seems extremely unlikely. Bob O'Brien Carver Oregon.
Great photos of this bird.
On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, ed mcv <ed.mcvicker@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I photographed
<https://www.flickr.com/photos/10665268@N04/albums/72157711761499842> an
interesting Red-tailed Hawk that I think is a light-morph Harlan's along
Reeder Rd. where the parking area begins for beach access north of
Rentenaar Rd. Tuesday late afternoon. When I returned on to the spot 20
min. later it had flown. It was perched on the power pole. I did not see
it in the air.
Since the bird did not fly, I did not see the opened wings or flight
profile but the tail photo seems likely for Harlan's and the overall
lightness of the head, face and breast lead me to think it's on the
light-phase end of the spectrum.
I am interested to know what others think and hope it can be relocated by
some Emporer Goose chasers, which btw, was not seen Tuesday by anyone I
spoke with....
Best,
Ed McVicker
SW Portland
