A story about a shy Goshawk

This is a story about a shy , reclusive Goshawk as I remembered Roger Tory Peterson description in his field guide. And its the story that took place in Prospect Park. How a juvenile Northern Goshawk somehow went undetected by the more advanced or regular birders for two weeks it hung out in Prospect in the vicinity of the Prospect feeders with only four people, relatively young or new birders ( except for expierienced Kathy Toomey) having the great fortune of seeing a terrific raptor we often never see much here.

I received an email last night from Erin Markman asking for help identifying a raptor . Erin having seen the post I wrote regarding the Feeder Goshawk February 28th thought she and Olin Winn- Ritzenberg spotted the yet confirmed Goshawk in the trees adjoining the Terrace Bridge southwest side (on the water fountain side). Both Erin and Olin were on the Maryland Monument slope where Olin spotted the large raptor. The date was February 13th. A long story short, it turned out to be the Northern Goshawk I confirmed. See the photos attached below. Its a tough bird to identify for newcomers, these Juvenile birds.

So, my question is: if it hung around Prospect for the two weeks leading up to the second coming, where was it all this time and how did it stayed under the radar from other birders? Truly remarkable I say...

Now , ain't birding beautiful and full of irony ?

So congrats to Erin and Olin for the first sighting, then Lotus the photographer and Kathy for the second event....

( all photos by Olin Winn- Ritzenberg)

Where it perched

From Facebook,  Lotus' photo https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210914936461792&set=p.10210914936461792&type=3&theater