Great shots, they are fun to watch... Claire

Ahhhh...lovely.

I think your mystery hawk is a Broad-winged: banded tail, overall pale below with dark wingtips and dark trailing edges on wings.

-O-

Sry Orrin but I have to go with Red Shouldered hawk here. I believe it is a juvenile RSH because of the classic crescent "window" on the wing tips (transluscent) characteristic of red shouldered. Broad wings lack this marking. The tail would appear to be broad winged but I believe its just a juvenile, making the white bar appear wider, which makes it look more similar to a broad winged hawk. SO thats my guess: Red Shouldered Hawk (juvenile).
Nathan

This one is challenging. Both Orrin and Nathan have strong points. The kinda blurry pic makes it more intresting. To me, the tail isn't right for an immature RSH, its gotta be numerous narrow dark bands. Also the overall color tones would be more rufous than grey. The brest, belly and overall long tail buteo shape could be either. If the "translucent" wing crescents were "pale", then it could be a broad-wing. I lean toward the broad-wing-
Jeff

I have to say the pale crescents are a bit daunting, but could be a funky lighting thing (maybe?). But I can't agree on an imm. Red-shouldered because of the tail as Jeff noted. The broad black subterminal band with the narrower black band above look awfully good for Broad-winged. I also think Red-shouldered has a more 'fingery' look to the wingtips than this bird has. I could be hideously wrong, but I'm not convinced yet.

-O-

I agree with you that the tail is a bit confusing, and points more towards BRH unless this bird is a juvenile, in which case the bands should be essentially equal in width. Hmm this is quite confusing, but I still have to go with RSH based on the transluscent crescents on the wings, this is supposed to be the one of the best field marks for these hawks. The fingery appearance can change based on how the hawk holds its wings.
Nathan

I have reaad that some broad wingeds have oval windows due to molting feathers, but this appears more crescent shaped. The wings appear to be pressed forward, more similar to a RSH and this hawk appears to have slightly bulging secondaries, also more common with RSH. The tail baffles me.
Nathan

I went back through some of my RSH photos, (see followup post) and I think I see what Orrin is saying about the fingers. The RSH wingtips are more pointed, the BWH wing is rounder at the tip. Just another piece of the puzzle-
Jeff

I would jump at BWH if I hadnt seen those crescents, I agree that the shape is very close to a BWH, but I thought that the transluscent crescents are a clincher for RSH. Hmmm.
Nathan

I did a little googling for some comparative photos. Here's a Red-shouldered Hawk....

-O-

Here is a link that might be useful:

Here's a Broad-winged Hawk:

-O- (There were several BWHA photos showing distinctive pale marks in the same area of wing, I just don't want to go in for overkill.)

Here is a link that might be useful:

Well, I bet if we were all standing around and this bird flew over, there probably would be little discussion, as theres no substitute for field observation. Wihout seeing the behavior, we'll never know for sure, which one it is. In fairness to Nathan, this RSH looks to be an adult western. A juvenile eastern RSH underparts would look closer to your BWH post, except the tail :)
Jeff

Ok, I am no expert on Raptors by *any* means, BUT, here is my 2 cents. And don;t you all jump on the Raptor Amateur. I am looking at Sibley and Bird Key (www.bdi.org)too...ok...Harrier????

{{!gwi}}

No there is no possibility that this bird is a N. Harrier, the underwing pattern is far too clean. It is definately a Buteo. I think I am coming on board for Broad Winged Hawk. I would have picked that without hesitation unless those crescents had been absent. The shape and the tail are highly consistent with BWH, as well as the black border and chest markings.
Nathan