Yesterday this fellow flew into the school's side door where we enter everyday. He was stunned for a bit and then was taken over to the old rusted chain link barrier where he sat to be photographed. At that time I did not know who had taken the pictures. I was just handed the SD card, and asked to identify the hawk. I said I would put the photos up on my blog and see if one of my birding blogger friends could help me out. Today at lunch I found out that it was our reading specialist and yearbook sponsor, Amy Woody, who had taken them so I need to give her all the credit for the great shots. Now, the question is....what is he? I got out my Sibley book, and my guess is he's a hawk and possibly a northern goshawk. I do not see any orange on the head, his tail bands are uneven, and he looks speckled. So, I have decided it is not a cooper's hawk ( that is what one of the staff thinks it might be) but rather a juvenile goshawk...or a juvenile sharp-shinned hawk (a suggestion from TexWis Girl). His feathers look brownish in some shots and grayish in others depending upon the lighting. I may have it all wrong, but I am trying. Remember, I am a true new-be to the identification of nature's fauna.I need all the help I can get. As for Amy's pictures, I think she did one fine job.
