Re: Im Goshawk on Mall [corrected]

Thomas Stock (TSTOCK@FMSHRC.GOV)
Mon, 28 Dec 1998 14:40:34 -0500 

Could it have been the Gos I saw on the White House grounds and
in Lafayette Park on the 16th after my family and I emerged from a
tour of the White House?  I heard a great rustling in the trees on the 
north side of the House, then saw a large bird fly into the park.  As we 
walked across the park, I saw it again - unmistakably a large accipiter
which I assumed was a Cooper's.  The light was terrible (it was just
past 5 pm), but I could nevertheless make out the bird as an 
accipiter as it flew out of the park towards the Old Exec Office Bldg
in pursuit of a pigeon.  

Tom Stock
Silver Spring

>>> SSUTER <ssuter@aaas.org> 12/28 1:45 PM >>>
     corrections to compass directions ** **:
     
     Went to look for the immature N Goshawk around lunch today.  As we 
     walked East across the Mall from the Natural History Museum c 1140 EST 
     the pigeons around Air & Space were seemingly ill at ease.  After a 
     brief glimpse of what seemed to be an immature Cooper's Hawk , heading 
     East among the trees on the S side of the Mall I was surprised to find 
     the immature Goshawk coming our way.  It passed almost overhead (to 
     the N), and proceeded directly to perch in a tree to the **SW** of the 
     kiosk on the Mall in front of the Natural History Museum.  Within a 3 
     or 4 minutes, it moved on a few more trees to the West, and then 
     bolted out of the trees **SW** towards a scattered flock of pigeons on 
     the Mall.  Although it chased one briefly, it did not seem to try too 
     hard and almost immediately continued on into the trees on the **S** 
     side of the Mall and West of the Freef Gallery.
     
     Unless the first bird I glimpsed was mis-identified, it seems likely 
     that neither the im. female Cooper's Hawk Dave Czaplak mentioned in 
     his Sunday afternoon message nor the Goshawk are keeping to restricted 
     areas of the Mall.  And (of course) care should be taken to id any 
     raptor working the abundant pigeons.
     
     Cheers and good birding,
     
     Sherman Suter
     Alexandria VA
     ssuter@aaas.org