San Diego YABH (Yet Another Blurry Hawk)

[Ruslan Balagansky]

Seen flying over San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Sunday.

Noticed it looked odd but couldn't tell what it was, so tried to photograph it for later identification. Unfortunately, this is the best I got:

Is this a red-tailed hawk in bad lighting, something else, or unidentifiable?

Thanks! I'm leaning red-tailed.

[Aidan B]

I'd lean Red-tailed as well.

[IKLland]

Agreed. Get the wood stork?

[Ruslan Balagansky]

27 minutes ago, IKLland said:

Get the wood stork?

Yep!

Got there in the early afternoon. Sat and waited for it to wake up. Guess it must have been very tired! Nobody could wake it.

Eventually it did wake up and I just watched it preen for quite some time and eventually I moved on.

Edited November 21 by Ruslan Balagansky
clarify that I moved on, not the bird

[Jerry Friedman]

12 hours ago, Ruslan Balagansky said:

Seen flying over San Diego Zoo Safari Park on Sunday.

Noticed it looked odd but couldn't tell what it was, so tried to photograph it for later identification. Unfortunately, this is the best I got:

Is this a red-tailed hawk in bad lighting, something else, or unidentifiable?

Thanks! I'm leaning red-tailed.

Since it's in a safari park, can we rule out Augur Buzzard, wintering Common Buzzard, etc? 🙂

With the unmarked or subtly marked tail and the comma on the wing, I'd lean Red-tailed too, though it seems Ferruginous has occurred there.

[Ruslan Balagansky]

5 hours ago, Jerry Friedman said:

though it seems Ferruginous has occurred there

I considered it, but looked much better red-tailed (we later saw several clearly).

5 hours ago, Jerry Friedman said:

Since it's in a safari park, can we rule out Augur Buzzard, wintering Common Buzzard, etc? 🙂

Unless they really messed up and haven't admitted to it, I think we can rule those out 🙂

They do have Egyptian Vultures and Ruppel's Vultures on exhibit. Lots of Turkey Vultures hanging out in their enclosures... and everywhere else.

There are also 1-3 Zone-Tailed Hawks in the area, though we haven't spotted them yet, despite scrutinizing every Turkey Vulture. We'll probably go back again soon as it might be among the easiest ways to spot them and Hooded Mergansers for us at the moment.