[obol] Alton Baker Park, Eugene, Wed. afternoon

[Don DeWitt]

OBOL,
     A little before 4 o'clock this afternoon I was watching the 
WHITE-TAILED KITE out over the old landfill when a much larger, dark raptor 
moved to a perch about 4 feet above the ground in a stand of small trees 
nearby.  Circling this bird, I once got within 50 feet of it, saw it fly off 
three times, observed it for about 10 minutes, and concluded the following: 
(1) it was an accipiter, (2) it was a very large one, more like a 2 pound 
than a 1 pound bird, (3) it was a juvenile with blotchy light brownish 
markings underneath and what appeared to be a mostly dark brown upperside, 
(4) it was much larger than the KITE, much larger than Cooper's Hawks which 
I have seen in this area at times, (5) it was unusually long- and 
broad-winged with a sweeping power to its wing beats, and (6) its tail was 
marked with irregular banding.  It was definitely not a Red-tailed or 
Red-shouldered Hawk.
     Admittedly, wet snow was falling hard during the time I observed this 
bird, I was without binoculars, I could not see certain important field 
marks, and when a blast of thunder sounded nearby I decided the time had 
come to head for somewhere with taller trees.  All the way home, and now 
after looking at the books, the identification that fits best seems to be 
NORTHERN GOSHAWK.
     Don DeWitt, Eugene.

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