Hi Jane! It's been my pleasure (really!) since I enjoy testing my raptor ID skills when I am unable to get outside and do it for real (either due to schedule limitations or birds not cooperating). Raptor ID is something I've been working on for a year or two now; only recently did I become any good at it. Hawks used to look all the same to me. I claimed to love them but I knew so little about them. I had to learn to notice the fine details and become adept at pointing them out quickly. Sometimes a glimpse is all you get. I believe those two guides you purchased will serve you (or anyone) well. The general Eastern guide is a great visual tool but Crossley doesn't have the space on each page to really break down the field marks that make each species unique. His raptor guide will probably be better for that, but I had to purchase Hawks in Flight to REALLY get into the details of real-time ID. Perched birds are easy to master; soaring hawks requires a lot of practice. I have also used online articles (American Birding Association/ Jerry Liguori) to learn new things, especially concerning the amazing diversity of Red-tailed Hawks. I have also learned a lot from experienced birders. I still have a ton to learn so I lurk forums such as these. Gives me an excuse to read a little more about IDing raptors. I have another tip that has helped me TREMENDOUSLY when IDing raptors (birds in general). Always weed out the unlikely/impossible species first. Check: - Location/range (you'll not likely find a Swainson's Hawk in New England unless during spring/fall migration) - Season (Broad-winged Hawks are in s. America during the winter) - Behavior (Northern Goshawks are notoriously elusive forest hawks and are the least likely Accipiter at a bird feeder). Rule out what it ISN'T and you'll likely have a much narrower list of what it could be. After that it comes down to field marks, shape, flying style, etc. If you are lucky enough to hear the hawk's call, then you are well on your way. Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds has recordings of bird sounds and it's a great reference. I'm sure I left a million things out but that's mostly what I wanted to say. This post was edited by TMFF on Sun, Mar 10, 13 at 17:15

I am also thinking this is a Cooper's Hawk. However, the clincher between immature Cooper's and Northern Goshawk is that the goshawk has brown streaked undertail covers and on a Cooper's the undertail coverts are pure snow white. Although the undertail coverts are not visible, the righthand picture shows the streaking on the breast/belly fading out as it gets closer to the tail, indicating the coverts are probably unstreaked and this is a Cooper's. Also, an immature (1st year) goshawk would appear darker and the streaks on the breast darker and more numerous. Based on all that gibber gabber, I am going with first-year Cooper's Hawk. 1st year NOGO showing undertail coverts. See another link below. Images are not mine but from pbase on the internet. BN Here is a link that might be useful:

I cannot really help on this one.May be a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Luc

I should have known-I'd never seen one up close or from that angle. It was really big. Thanks.