Texbirders,
Just wanted to clear up any confusion and prevent anyone else chasing a
bird that is not what was initially reported. Earlier today I reported a
Rough-legged Hawk near Lackland AFB that actually turned out to be a
Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk.
I did not have any optics with me at the time I saw it, but even with bare
eyes I felt I had seen it very well both perched from the front and
flying/landing from the rear, and was quite certain there was no other
possible ID than Rough-legged.
However, Christian Fernandez, Beth McBroom, and Bob Doe were able to track
down the hawk later and got some pretty good photos of it despite the fog.
The photos are very clear (to me) that it is indeed a Harlan's. It still
amazes me that a Harlan's could appear so pale in the head and breast as it
did to me when I saw it.
Regardless, a very interesting hawk and another good reminder to me about
being careful with a final identification... and about the wide range of
plumage variations of Red-tailed Hawks!
As we say in medicine, an uncommon presentation of a common disease is more
likely than a common presentation of an uncommon disease.
Good birding,
Nate Nye
