Almost an Oops

Yesterday mid-day during a brief dry point we went to check on the Fairview Wetlands to check on the water level and see if there were any new migrating birds.  We found a little more water, but nothing new in birds until Jeanette noticed this hawk.  So much white in the plumage that it reminded me of a Rough-legged Hawk.  I made a quick check on one of my bird Apps, sure enough.  Back home I did some research, Rough-legged are found here in the Willamette Valley October through April, that fit.  And it would be a new county bird for me and even the first of the season for me as well. I was all set to post a blog. But first I decided to look at the photo I had taken of a Rough-legged last winter at Luckiamute Landing State Park.  Oops, not the same! Back to the guides in search of a match.  Low and behold it was a juvenile Red-tail Hawk. Drats, I’ve already reported lots of Red-tails. I almost made a mistake and wrote a wonderful post about the wrong bird!