With a couple extra days off from work, I was planning to visit the park again this Monday morning. Today however I didn't see a single Deer and the temps were even colder than yesterday. I think it was roughly 6 or 7ยบ above zero. As I was coming around the north side I was looking out way in front of me, generally looking upwards for the first Owl of the season. I realized how well I've come to know the park as the tree branch up ahead of me had one too many bumps on it. I quickly got out my camera to take some long range pics and realized it was the odd looking Hawk I'd seen yesterday.
What made him odd looking was that his head and shoulders were mostly light colored, almost white, giving him the appearance of a Bald Eagle. I always have a hard time identifying Hawks as I think they're all so similar. According to my field guide though, a bird of this size would likely be a Red-tailed Hawk. It also says they can have a wide variety of colors ranging from dark brown to nearly all white, so maybe that explains the head. Knowing he would spook easily I walked slowly and as quietly as I could on the loud snow covered path but eventually scared him off again before getting too close.
With a couple extra days off from work, I was planning to visit the park again this Monday morning. Today however I didn't see a single Deer and the temps were even colder than yesterday. I think it was roughly 6 or 7ยบ above zero. As I was coming around the north side I was looking out way in front of me, generally looking upwards for the first Owl of the season. I realized how well I've come to know the park as the tree branch up ahead of me had one too many bumps on it. I quickly got out my camera to take some long range pics and realized it was the odd looking Hawk I'd seen yesterday. 
What made him odd looking was that his head and shoulders were mostly light colored, almost white, giving him the appearance of a Bald Eagle. I always have a hard time identifying Hawks as I think they're all so similar. According to my field guide though, a bird of this size would likely be a Red-tailed Hawk. It also says they can have a wide variety of colors ranging from dark brown to nearly all white, so maybe that explains the head. Knowing he would spook easily I walked slowly and as quietly as I could on the loud snow covered path but eventually scared him off again before getting too close.
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