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birding frustration
Mar. 19th, 2009 11:05 amOne of the joys of birdwatching is that you can do it anywhere, anytime. The downside is seeing a great bird but being unable to identify it. This is why I prefer birding with others; it's notoriously difficult to identify a bird merely from description.
Today as I pulled into my wooded Tennessee subdivision, I saw an unusual bird cross the road and land in a tree. I pulled over to watch it for perhaps 45 seconds before it flew away. I believe it was a hawk, but I can't quite figure out what kind. It had long legs like a crow, and the thighs were feathered, as if it were wearing shaggy brown shorts. Its back was a solid gray, not streaked. Its bill was short (very unlike a crow, more in keeping with many hawks). I can't quite recall its belly color, but I believe it was paler than its back. In size it was perhaps as long as a crow or a little shorter but less bulky. Any ideas? It wasn't a Sharp-shinned nor a Cooper's. It wasn't Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, or Broad-winged. It was too big and the wrong color to be a Kestrel. Too big but closer in color to a Merlin. In color scheme it most resembled a Golden Eagle, but much smaller and with a blunter beak. It could've been a Peregrine perhaps, but the size and color scheme again don't match. Frustrating.
Today as I pulled into my wooded Tennessee subdivision, I saw an unusual bird cross the road and land in a tree. I pulled over to watch it for perhaps 45 seconds before it flew away. I believe it was a hawk, but I can't quite figure out what kind. It had long legs like a crow, and the thighs were feathered, as if it were wearing shaggy brown shorts. Its back was a solid gray, not streaked. Its bill was short (very unlike a crow, more in keeping with many hawks). I can't quite recall its belly color, but I believe it was paler than its back. In size it was perhaps as long as a crow or a little shorter but less bulky. Any ideas? It wasn't a Sharp-shinned nor a Cooper's. It wasn't Red-shouldered, Red-tailed, or Broad-winged. It was too big and the wrong color to be a Kestrel. Too big but closer in color to a Merlin. In color scheme it most resembled a Golden Eagle, but much smaller and with a blunter beak. It could've been a Peregrine perhaps, but the size and color scheme again don't match. Frustrating.