Greetings all, 

          Dan Sanders and I drove down to Caesar Creek State Park today in search of the reported N. Goshawk. When we got there it started to rain lightly but built steadily as time wore on. We got there at about 2:00pm and spent about 3+ hours looking for the bird by cruising the road to and around the beach area as described in earlier posts. We had our attention's drawn by some crows who were mobbing an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. We sat around watching by the road and were joined by John Habig, and some other birders were cruising around also. None of us found anything. We then drove up to the visitor center to use the restrooms and returned to the beach afterwards around 6:00pm to look one last time before leaving for home in central ohio. We located a wet looking MERLIN atop a tree near the lake just between the beach area and the Youth fishing pond. It was raining pretty well by then but it was a good look considering, through my scope. It was obviously a falcon by shape and similar in size to a Kestrel only slightly larger. On closer inspection it had the tell-tail streaks and head pattern, and barred tail. In the poor light and wetness I'd still say it looked like a male, kind of warm colored on breast and belly, but its hard to say as this can vary some. Other birds in the area included Golden Crowned Kinglets, N. Flickers, E. Towhee, Song Sparrows, Field Sparrows, etc. 




       I know its a finicky issue to pick, and I mean no disrespect,  but when reporting a rare bird like this, please include a list of field marks that led you to come to the conclusion that it was say a juv. Goshawk and not an immature female Cooper's Hawk or juv. Red-shouldered Hawk. This can be a very tricky I.D. issue, yet no one who reported seeing the bird made one mention of this fact which can lead some people to doubt. Obviously, I didn't doubt too much or I wouldn't have gone down there (1.5 hour drive). And I'm not saying those of you who saw the bird didn't see it, I just think its a good practice when it comes to rare-birds that are tricky to I.D. , just a suggestion, take it or leave it I guess. 




Back home earlier today I've been having my now usual Red-breasted Nuthatch visiting the feeders and also in the past few days I've been seeing several White-crowned Sparrows. This morning I had my first yard-Junco of the fall, a nice male Dark-eyed Junco. :-)




         Cheers, and Good birding!




                   - Ben Warner

               


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