You are being fooled

 Dear birders and hawk watchers— and there is a world of difference. There is a world of difference between a birder and a hawk watcher and a world of difference between a Cooper’s Hawk and a Goshawk — especially in flight. The next 4-5 postings will all be considered under the title of — You are being fooled. The postings will be about the publication Hawks in Flight. Also, my understanding of why goshawks do not prefer to live in the forests: how you are being fooled.

I first arrived in  Deception Pass and in Anacortes, Fidalgo Island in 1999. Deception Pass is on North Whidbey Island and is considered to be the largest island in the U.S. From the very start I realized that NG were a common species. I was observing singles, mostly females, nearly always in the sky. Sometimes I would observe doubles, and one time at the Pass, triples of two males and one female. I am quite sure they are breeding in Anacortes Forest and also on North Whidbey Island. I would start observing them in early September. Then they would disappear around early June. To think that these raptors are migrating into these areas just does not make sense because September is too early a time frame for NG to be migrating. Seldom do I go into the forest as I am really not interested in observing nesting raptors or even perched raptors. NB. nrieferb@ Gmail.com.

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