Massapequa Preserve

What seemed at first to be a non-eventful day changed quickly when I found the Goshawk again - this is the 6th time.  Also seen were 6 Golden Crowned Kinglets, 3 Swamp Sparrows and a Great Egret.  2 Red Tailed Hawks were flying over the preserve and surrounding area most of the day.

Goshawk

Massapequa Preserve

I saw the Goshawk again today if only for a short time - it disappeared into the dense woods by Jerusalem Ave.  This is the 5th time I've seen it.

Northern Goshawk

Northern Goshawk

Jones Beach West End, Massapequa Preserve

I checked out Jones Beach West End and was pleasantly surprised to find 6 Lapland Longspurs, some in good plumage, Fox Sparrow, Tree Sparrows and a continuing early Phoebe.  At Massapequa Preserve I checked on the Screech Owls and found the Grey one (the other day the red one was in the nest).  Also saw 2 Killdeer in the stream which I thought was unusual and a nice looking Wilson's Snipe!

Phoebe!

Lapland Longspurs

Killdeer

Massapequa

I got a text from another birder that they spotted the Goshawk by the Pittsburgh Pond so I drove along the preserve hoping it might be around.  I didn't find it but did see 2 Redtailed Hawks and a Sharp Shinned Owl.  After giving up I drove through my neighborhood and spotted what I assumed to be a Red Tailed Hawk land in a tree, but turned out to be the Goshawk!  It took off but I wasn't able to relocate it.  Also saw a Merlin in the neighborhood.

Massapequa Preserve

I went back to the preserve to look for the Goshawk without any luck.  I did find a Muscovy duck by the "Pittsburgh pond."

Massapequa Preserve: Goshawk part 2

So, long story short, I was able to get photos of the Goshawk later on. 

Northern Goshawk

Northern Goshawk

Northern Goshawk

Massapequa Preserve: Northern Goshawk

Following a post on Long Island Wildlife it became clear that an immature Goshawk had been seen in the northwest section of Massapequa Preserve last Sunday.  A post by a non-birder of a hawk on Monday may have also been the same bird (instead of a Cooper's Hawk).  I also realized that a "Cooper's Hawk" I saw recently by Parkside Drive being harassed by Blue Jays might actually have been this Goshawk. I tried unsuccessfully to find it yesterday (I did see a Merlin)  I tried again today with Snouty and we were very lucky to find it.  We tried looking in the areas NW and SW of the Walker Street parking lot and only found a Red Tailed Hawk that didn't seem to mind us.  We also saw a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.  I figured we should search some areas of the preserve south of where we were, and decided to try by the "Doris Place" pond.  After almost giving up I looked to the west of the pond and saw the Goshawk perched.  Before I could get a photo it took off flying south into the woods, coming very close to the ground where we lost it.  Snouty focused on the prominent white patch above it's eye to confirm the ID.  The large size and proportion of the head to body also helped confirm the ID.  I'll try to find it again next time I visit - it's alarming to realize that if we didn't visit the Doris Place pond we would have missed it.