[wisb] ALERT: Goshawk at Swan Pond, Dane Co.
- From: Peter Fissel <pfissel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Wisconsin Birding Network <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 21:33:20 -0500
Late this afternoon, I saw what I'm reasonably certain was an adult NORTHERN
GOSHAWK at Swan Pond Waterfowl Production Area west of Oregon in southern Dane
County. I had hiked down to the west shore of the pond to check the smartweed
patch for Ammodramus sparrows (didn't find any), when I noticed a large raptor
gliding from northeast to southwest. I naturally assumed it was a Red-tail,
until it banked very slightly and I could see it was solid dark gray above and
whitish below, with no real markings other than a dark cap and strong eyebrow.
It was clearly an accipiter, with broad, rounded wings and a longish tail, but
the profile seemed much too bulky even for a large female Cooper's Hawk. It
mostly glided low pretty much straight into a rather stiff wind, with minimal
flapping, and I quickly lost it over the ridge in front of me (I was down in a
low spot near the pond.) It took me a few seconds to focus my new binoculars,
so I lost some valuable observation time, but I've looked at lots of photos of
both Goshawks and Coops in flight and am pretty certain of the ID.
There is a woodlot on the northwest shore of the pond, which is likely where it
came from, and it was headed in the direction of the woodlot on the west side
of the area. I came in the access on County M, across from Caine Rd., which is
between Oregon and County D (aka Fish Hatchery Rd.) It's hard to say if this
bird will hang around, although the prison farm a little farther east on M has
pheasant pens, which might draw its interest.
Peter Fissel
Madison, Dane Co.
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- » [wisb] ALERT: Goshawk at Swan Pond, Dane Co. - Peter Fissel
