[taniab]

I'm having a heck of a time trying to ID this bird. Seen at Burnaby Lake (Piper Spit) at 8:45am today.

I have a small Sharp-shinned that hangs out in my mom's townhouse complex, and this hawk was much much larger. With it's tail fanned out while perching, I could see the 4 bars on the underside of the tail. It had thick legs, a broad/bulky chest/body with dense streaking and a brown back, it seemed to have dark eyes. The most distinguishable feature I noted was the eyebrow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91742093@N05/8414935247/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/91742093@N05/8416032428/

I realize that the Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and Northern Goshawk are very hard to ID... and I also realize that size is hard to distinguish but this hawk seemed fairly large to my untrained eyeballs.

Thanks

[Jerry]

I suspect you are looking at an immature Northern Goshawk. There seem to be a lot more around this year than usual - at least in central BC. Check out the Cornell Lab for a detailed description and pictures.
Good birding.
Jerry

[Birder2000]

I agree with Jerry, this looks to be a young Northern Goshawk.

[Rokman]

Goshawk. Field marks are wavy tail bands rather than straight, and white eyebrow.
Good sighting!

[taniab]

Thanks Jerry, Liron & Rokman.

I, too, was leaning towards Northern Goshawk (imm) but I also wondered if I was being biased towards that ID because it would be a lifer for me. But I couldn't argue with the size, and that eyebrow was so prominent. Thanks for verifying my suspicions! And for pointing out the tail band field marks.

Yay, a lifer