Member sees rare Great Black Hawk in Maine

My name is Karen O’Brien and I am a member of Seabrook Island Birders.  I share my time between Seabrook and my home in Portland, Maine.  On December 3, I had the opportunity to see a rare Great Black Hawk.  I thought my friends on Seabrook may like to share my experience.  That Monday, I spent a very very special three hours in a large park in the middle of the city of Portland, ME watching, with at least 200 of our closest friends, a Great Black Hawk devouring as many squirrels as he could. He has never been sighted in the U.S. , so I’m told, living between Mexico and Argentina . I spoke with many people who had flown in from the Midwest and other parts of the country!!!    It was a thrill and privilege to look up and revel in the grace and beauty and sheer fortitude of this amazing vagrant.
An article in the Boston Globe provides more information.
The bird remains in the area so maybe some of you want to take a field trip to cold Maine for this rare experience.   It IS very cold and icy here with about 8 inches of snow
Submitted by: Karen O’Brien
Photo by: Andres Picon of the Boston Globe

Author: sibirders

SEABROOK ISLAND BIRDERS / “watching, learning, protecting” Seabrook Island Birders (SIB) are residents, renters and guests of Seabrook Island, SC who have an interest in learning, protecting and providing for the well-being of the incredible variety of birds that inhabit Seabrook Island throughout the year.

6 thoughts on “Member sees rare Great Black Hawk in Maine”

    1. I think I may have seen this Great Black Hawk in West Paris, Me today. I took a picture of it with my phone but I am not sure what to do now. I am not very tech savvy. It was beautiful! He or she was perched in a tree.

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      1. Not sure about that for it was sighted yesterday in deering Oaks Portland. We are all worried about it with these below zero temperatures. Any way you can send picture?

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    2. Karen…Ed and I saw the hawk on New Yer’s Eve day! It was so exciting. We loved our trip to Maine and enjoyed birding at Dyer Point, Portland Light and the Snowy Owl at the airport!

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    3. Aija, wish I had known you were in Maine would have met you at Deering Park. I go there at least three times a week just to watch the Hawk and I am so very very glad you saw him
      ; as I said before it is a privilege . Also glad you saw the snowy owl. Hope to see you in April

      KOB

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  2. Pingback: Maine’s Great Black Hawk Euthanized – SIB

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