ML342810491

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

En route to Cottonwood from eclipse-watching at Palmetto Wash, a huge accipter flew over desert scrub (5000') and 168 and landed in a shrub just north of the borrow pit/ Canyon Rd. in Mono County. First assumed COHA but bird ginormous chunky and somewhat buteo-like. Rapidly pulled over (about 0645) (ES and KD) and looked at bird in scope and bins in good light. Most prominent feature at any angle of light was a distinctly pale whitish supercilium. Facial area grayish at low light. Immature bird with grayish brown back and messy streaked breast. Long banded tail. Too big and bulky for Coopers Hawk. Do not know when gos moult into adult plumage. Is this a retarded imm? MaCauley library has similar images for April. The bird then flew across road to a perch east of borrow pit and close to west Abandoned Ranch where it was studied for 30 minutes. Bird allowed ES to get within 30’ before ES/KD left. Never flushed. At very close range, also observed yellow iris, somewhat fluffy undertail coverts, and what appears to be uneven dark bands on tail. Why so tame? Exhausted? Escapee? No jesses; no band on left tarsus; no transmitter. In photos, bird was holding up right leg. Injured? Tail appeared worn and may have been missing rectrices. Other indications of molt include loose mantle feather dangled on back of bird throughout observation. Comments appreciated.

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

ISO

80

Focal length

215 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/6.5

Shutter speed

1/320 sec

Dimensions

4000 pixels x 2664 pixels

Original file size

2.47 MB