ML646517594

Observation details

***MEGA, 2nd state record! Long square winged raptor with white patch on primaries, long white tail with a black trailing edge, pale bib and head, heavy pinkish bill, and namesake black crest. What the heck?!?! We first saw the bird over hwy 92 flying south with some Rock Pigeons. We quickly flipped a U-turn and got on the bird as it flew southwest towards the river. It perched on some hay bales on private property south of the highway on county road 205. We drove down the road to the railroad tracks (41.318404,-102.092729) to view it. It was acting a lot like a Harrier, flying low over the river and grasslands, occasionally perching back up in the fields or on hay bales. It even got in a short scufflw with a juvenile harrier patrolling the area! Mike and Mike spent an additional 90 minutes watching and it appeared over the horizon for a few minutes at a time, presumably landing in the field (private property) nearer the river between flights, eventually drifting further to the southeast.