Pretty sure it belonged to someone, I glimpsed what looked to be a tether wrapped around its feet. But seeing it perched on a fence with no handler in sight was pretty awesome. Such a fearsome looking hawk! Also a huge surprise. the white band on its tail had me thinking a Harrier, but to my hgreat surprise it was something much more interesting.
On another note today was a very busy day. Between West Side Marsh and Cranberry Marsh I spotted 75 species. Easily the most I've ever seen in October.
Highlights included:
12 warbler species
the most interesting were: orange-crowned-4, male black-throated blue-2, black-throated green, N. parula, blackpoll, nashville-4, 1 juv.mourning (I believe, back was too dark for a Wilson's), palm-6
-white crowned, swamp sparrows
-blue-headed, philadelphia vireo
-least flycatcher
-a late ruby-throated hummingbird
-1m 1f purple finch (my first of the year)
-brown creeper
-greater yellowlegs
-juv. N. shoveler
-black crowned night heron
-yellow breasted sapsucker
-rusty blackbirds-5
-american wigeon
-cooper's hawk-7
-broad winged hawk-5
-125+ turkey vultures
-juvenile N. Goshawk- first of the season, flew low, just to the north of the hawk watch at Cranberry
-1 adult 1 juvenile bald eagle- the juvenile was amidst a group of turkey vultures which was very exciting for me as I was able to finally see the size difference. What a beast the eagle is! Also it was soaring no more than 75-100ft overhead so it made for some great viewing before it had had enough and moved off to the east.
An awesome day!!
Cheers & happy birding.
-Tim-
