Went looking for Andy Wilson's Goshawk this AM. I drove all of Walter Martz
Road without success. Folks, this is hardly Gos territory. There are
townhouses and other such development right along Tuscarora Creek where he
saw the bird. When one looks around as he drives this road, there is a more
obvious collection of habitats just to the west called the Catoctin
Mountains. Even a young and dumb Gos would much prefer to be up there. I
would think that if the Gos wandered down along the creek, it was because he
couldn't find much up there. Knowing that the headwaters of Tuscarora are up
there (several hundred years of trout fishing haven't been a total waste), I
headed up through Yellow Springs and took Hamburg Road up the mountainside.
No, I wasn't looking for McDonald's. As most of you know these are huge
mountains that dwarf even the Himalayas. And I drove all the way up.
Glaciers be damned!

Once up there, I spotted what I think was a young BROADWING HAWK on a wire
along Hamburg Road and little else. I walked the Blue Trail for a while and
the lone bunch of Chickadees I encountered seemed to be alone. No Warblers
to report.

I would think a young Gos would be more interested in the "mountains" than
down in the valley where Andy saw it. It would more likely find a place to
roost up there even if it can't find much to eat. As we know, one of it's
preferred meals is Grouse. There are some in the Catoctins, although the
population there is nothing like it is up in Garrett. In fact it has
probably been 5 years since my last Catoctin grouse. They also like rabbits
and squirrels and those might be easier to find down below than up top.
    Just some thoughts. I think Andy should keep us posted on any further
sightings, but I would be more inclined to look way up there just below the
glaciers in the Catoctins. Streams are low again, but if I do any fishing up
there this fall, I will keep an eye out.

Jerry Tarbell
Un-Goshawked in Carroll County