Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 10:56:20 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: gonbrdn Subject: Cecil Co, MD- GOSHAWK YARD BIRD!! Comments: To: "BIRDHAWK@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hello to all: I was sitting at the kitchen table paying some bills this AM when a glance into the back yard revealed a HUGE gray hunched shape perched on a tree branch. I wasted no time getting on the bird, and discovered the shape to be, to my great delight, an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK. It seemed in no hurry to move, so I yanked the scope out of the closet and set it up at the kitchen window, nearly knocking down a hanging candle holder in my haste!! WHAT A BIRD!! Every detail was crystal clear in the scope, probably the best look I will ever get at a Gos. in my lifetime. For 10 min. it presented a rear view, the uniform gray back, prominent hunched shoulders, LONG broad tail with white tip, solid gray cap and baleful red eyes intently scanning the yard. Then, what a good bird, it turned around and the beauty of it made me gasp!! The downy feathers of the lower belly fluffed up by the wind looked soft and inviting, in direct contrast the the wicked looking yellow feet that were restively flexed and extended, in anticipation of the kill. The undertail coverts appeared gleaming white through the stout legs, and the horizontal barring of the chest looked picture perfect, as if etched on by an artist. The body, so large, as if on steroids!! This was a HUNGRY bird, head constantly swivelling, accompanied by minute bobs, leg extended with claw flexed, as if preparing to pounce; one could almost feel the birds urgency and anticipation. I was cheering for it, waiting for the explosion. A particularly strong gust of wind caused my visitor to turn in profile, steady like a rock on the limb, facing into the teeth of the gust, downy white feathers streaming out behind it. An moment later, it lifted off, and was instantly gone into the gale, a restive visitor from the north continuing on its` awe inspiring journey. I feel privileged to have been the witness to such beauty and power as was embodied in this adult Goshawk, a moment forever preserved in time. Leslie Fisher Cecil Co. MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================