Broad-winged Hawk

Yesterday (June 6th) Jon Long and I went to Kelly's Island (a campground on the south fork of the Snake River in Bonneville county) to photograph a spillway on the river. When we parked I noticed a small dark hawk sitting in the cottonwoods. My first thought was Cooper's Hawk, but the tail was not long enough. I didn't have binoculars but managed to sneak up on the bird and photograph it. Just after this photograph the bird flew off, but never overhead just straight away. I never got a look at the underwing pattern, but everything looks good for an adult Broad-winged Hawk. As it is this is a rare spring migrant, but this seems quite late. Anyway, here's the bird.


Broad-winged Hawk, Bonneville County, ID 2005