I was driving west on I-480 yesterday about 3 pm. I just passed the Transportation Boulevard bridge before going over the big bridge over the valley. Traffic was very sparse. So, I looked off to the left/south in a field west of the Steak and Shake. I was scanning the general area for a red-tailed hawk that I usually see perched in various spots hunting. But, instead I saw a large raptor with slim wings and a long tail hovering over the fields west of the shopping area south of the highway. 

I have observed Northern Harriers in the past (in other locations) doing this. From my quick view, the shape also matched a harrier and didn't really match anything else. This could have been a harrier. I couldn't turn around to try to look for this bird. But, I thought I'd post this. I did not make an eBird report because I could not say with much certainty what this bird was.

That area is a good place to see raptors. The peregrine falcons nest on the west end of the I-480 bridge and can often be seen perched on the bill boards or lamp posts. Red-tailed hawks often hunt the fields near the bridge. I have seen a red-shouldered hawk perched on the far west end of the bridge. And, during migration season, I once saw an osprey perched on a lamp post on the big bridge. There are sometimes bald eagles below the bridge along the Cuyahoga River. 

Happy birding!

Ken

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