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 see no orange on this bird, either. I thought, first thing, "Crested Caracara," then "Northern Goshawk," based on its overall coloring and the habitat. The habitat seems wrong for a Caracara, but we had one visiting us in redwood country not long ago, eating at several deer carcasses along Highway One and the bird appeared several weeks later (assuming it was the same one) in Oregon. . . While a Northern Goshawk *would* be feathered farther down on the legs, take a closer look at this photo, then turn to page 190 in the NGFG, and check out the feathering on the legs of the Goshawk (imm) in the painting: the feathers are farther down, yes, but they are sweeping back, as in the bird in the photo. A Northern Goshawk *would* go after prey as large as a squirrel. I sincerely doubt a Cooper's would take prey that large. . .

That seems right. Thanks! It did look like a white bird when it was flying, so I was surprised at how blue-grey the one photo I managed to get turned out--white tailed kite would explain that.

>>Shanachiel, it's the "Dorothy" rule of birding (from the >>>Wizard of Oz : ) Ok, what does that mean exactly? LOL No place like home? If only a Snowy Owl and saw whet would show up and a barn owl take up residence in my barn, I'd be quite content! What's interesting is we are about 20 miles east of the Hudson River but there are extensive wetlands in the area...I saw a bald eagle flying east away from the river one morning several years ago and never forgot that sight- the wingspan - wow! Sometimes Golden Eagles winter just north of me at a glacier pond but I don't think there have been any sightings yet this season. I tried on numerous occasions to try to see them last winter. Guess I am really hooked now! I'm definitely going to be spending more time at that swamp..... If you back out of the eagle photo page, you'll enter my main bird gallery from an afternoon at the Hudson Valley Raptor Center. Several of their resident rehabbed birds (who are used to being "on display" for educational purposes) are presented for a photo op. To be able to get fairly close and look in to their eyes..... Here is a link that might be useful: HUDSON VALLEY RAPTOR CENTER