Goshawk Over Goleta??

Well... yes. And not actually. This bird is most certainly a Northern Goshawk, and I did take this photo yesterday on the UCSB Campus near 'Area K' behind the Campus Police complex, so it would be accurate to state that there was a Goshawk over Goleta yesterday.



And isn't it a GLORIOUS animal??? By now you can tell that there is more to the story. This is quite clearly a falconer's bird, due to the leg straps or jesses and the long slender antenna of the transmitter.


If you're a rabbit or a duck, you could also be toast! What an intense focus.

The Northern Goshawk belongs to Dave, of Carpinteria, whom I met him while out birding and offered to let me tag along for my own amusement and photo-ops. And yes, I asked. He has A SLEW of licenses, certificates, and the proper authority and training to keep and handle these wild species. He has had the Northern Goshawk for nine years, and the Prairie Falcon, below, for about two years.

Dave is 'holding' the Prairie Falcon, as the bird is mostly simply perching on his hand.


The falcon waits until the breezes are understood and correct, and when the time is right, he spreads his wings...

.... And flies away!

Being a true falcon, the Prairie Falcon is great in the air, as are Peregrine Falcons and American Kestrals - which we also find in Santa Barbara County. The goshawk while an accipter (like our smaller Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks), hunts much like our own Red-tailed Hawk, from a perch or pole as seen in the first photo.Hunting on the wing, the leg straps (jesses) and transmitter are visible trailing behind.

I heard Dave use a whistle, and he also swings a leather pouch holding small pieces of dried meat as a lure. He said that the falcon can see him swing that lure from several (10?) miles away and return in seconds! So much for me thinking I'm 'sneaking up' on a raptor for a photograph from only 25 yards away...