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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ceasar" data-source="post: 1608168" data-attributes="member: 26155">I was wondering when this thread would come up again!  It was too tempting not to return to it, and I almost brought it up! This still doesn't explain what appears to be auricular patches behind the eyes in pictures 1 and 2.  The bird is looking at the photographer in photo #1 with it's left eye.  In the 2nd photo the bird is turned completely around and is looking over it's shoulder at the photographer with it's right eye.  If these apparent patches are caused by the shadow of a branch, then the same branch must be causing the shadow on both eyes.  This is not an impossibility but if it is the same branch then it is just one more coincidence in a string of coincidences.  Even the speculation that it could be a Sharpshin relies on coincidence.  The area is in the summer range of Sharpshins but not in their winter range per Wheeler's range map at p.171.  The tail barring alone is not enough to rule out a Goshawk because adult males and females can both have wide dark bands on the undertail.  Wheeler p.194.   That leaves the reddish breast coloring shown on the boosted photo's and I am wondering if that couldn't be an artifact (Not of the persons who tried to improve the originals!  I want to make that clear!  And I want to commend them for their efforts!) of the photoshop process used in trying to improve it.My first instinctive ID when I saw the picture in thread #1 was that it was a Goshawk.  I'm still not convinced that it isn't but I wouldn't list it as a "Lifer" if I needed it.Cordially,Bob:h?::h?:</blockquote>

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