Nature and Wildlife Photography
RBAsGray Hawk @ Carpinteria, CA


The LAST confirmed sighting of the Gray Hawk was
March 1st, 2012 @ 2:00 PM


To view recent eBird reports, click here.

Map to Location #1 | Map to Location #2


[2:00 PM] March 1st, 2012 by : At 11:11 I first spotted the GRAY HAWK atop a evergreen tree between the Northbound Santa Claus Lane offramp and hwy 101 lanes, basically behind the McCormix gas station. Before I could fetch the scope from the car, it flew (somewhat low and dangerously, I felt) over the highway, towards the cyprus (I think they are cyprus) trees on Santa Claus Lane. I drove over there and searched the trees. Finally relocated the bird sitting on the ground, on top of the pile of cement/pavement slabs just to the east of one of the large cyprus trees between Santa Claus Lane and why 101. Managed a few photos before the bird flew slightly to the west and landed in another cyprus tree, landing on the side facing the hwy and showing only its head. At this point Denise Dewire joined me. Shortly thereafter the bird flew in an east / northeast direction. Both of us did a bit of searching on the way out, but did not refined the bird.
view e-mail


(c) 2012 - Christopher Taylor - November 28, 2012


(c) 2012 - Christopher Taylor - November 28, 2012


(c) 2012 - Christopher Taylor - November 28, 2012


(c) 2012 - Christopher Taylor - November 28, 2012



Previous Updates:

[12:00 PM] February 25th, 2012 by : Today, on my way back to Ventura, from birding with Fred Emerson's SBMNH class in Winchester Canyon, I stopped off on Santa Claus Lane to look for the Gray Hawk. Easily spotted on some power lines on the north (mountain) side of Hwy 101. The Gray Hawk was at 3508 Via Real, near Creekside Floral. This was at 12:00 noon.
view e-mail

[12:49 PM] February 19th, 2012 by MATT VICTORIA: Greetings! For those of you still looking for the GRAY HAWK I found him on my lunch break today. He is perched currently on a power line facing the 101 northbound lanes in front of the Colorama nursery. This is along Via Real in Carp. The time is 12:49 PM.
view e-mail

[8:15 AM] February 12th, 2012 by GARY LESTER: With valuable tips from Jon Dunn, Joan Lentz and fellow Humboldt Co. birder Tony Kurz, Lauren & I were able to locate the wintering Gray Hawk on Monday morning. We tried on Sunday afternoon without fortune but at approximately 0830 Monday at 3542 South Padero we had the bird atop a mature Fan Palm. The small lot is about 400 feet beyond the railroad crossing. The bird remained in the palm for about 5 minutes before flying north across the freeway.
view e-mail

[8:15 AM] January 22nd, 2012 by BRUCE MAST: On St. Claus ln just north of Salt at 8:15.
view e-mail

[4:00 PM] January 17th, 2012 by JARED DAWSON: While on our way back from dipping on the Arctic Loon in Malibu, Kathleen and I had the Gray Hawk briefly at 16:04 17 Jan on the road sign just to the west of the salt shop.
view e-mail

[9:00 AM] January 16th, 2012 by ERIC CULBERTSON: The Gray Hawk continued along Santa Clause Lane perched on the wooden fence next to the Salt clothing store between 9:20 - 9:50am today. It then flew almost directly over me and into Seaside Gardens. While it perched a WT Kite briefly kited over the same empty lot the Gray Hawk was hunting. The conifer below and along Ortega Ridge Road X Greenwell Avenue behind Summerland had two MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE mixed in with 4-5 Red-breasted Nuthatch late this am. You can access the pines below (south) of the the main roads by following the Montecito Trails Foundation trail which starts just west of Ortega Ranch Road X Ortega Ridge Road.
view e-mail

[4:00 PM] January 14th, 2012 by SPENCER RIFFLE: On my way back from LA I decided to look for the hawk again, since I was unable to locate it when I passed on thru Friday. I saw the bird for about ten seconds on the power line on Santa Claus Lane at Gallup & Stribling Farms at 4:44pm, 1/14. Then the bird flew across to the other side of the 101. Thanks to all people who posted, this was a way cool bird!!

[12:00 PM] January 4th, 2012 by DENISE: Hi - I haven't posted before, but do follow the group. Finally was able to see and capture some shots of the Grey Hawk on SC Lane this morning. At first he was on the speed limit sign but someone honked at an oncoming car and scared him away. Then was able to spot two more times.
view e-mail

[12:00 PM] December 31st, 2012 by TONY KURZ: Just after you exit off the 101 the hawk was about a 100 yards south down Santa Clause Ln on the ocean side. We could see the bird very well off the railroad tracks. This was around noon and I was birding with Ryan Price.
view e-mail

[3:00 PM] December 30th, 2012 by GLENN KINCAID: While driving North on Hwy 101 at 3PM the Gray Hawk was sitting on top of a power pole on the North side of the freeway directly behind the Santa Claus Lane exit sign.
view e-mail

[10:00 AM] December 25th, 2012 by RON HOLLAND: The Gray Hawk was present this morning along Santa Claus Ln in Carpinteria at 9:00-9:50 when I left.
view e-mail

[5:00 PM] December 18th, 2012 by DAVID PEREKSTA: ** eBird Reports
view e-mail

[9:00 AM] December 17th, 2012 by JUSTIN WATTS: ** eBird Reports

[11:30 AM] December 16th, 2012 by JOHN LEVINE: The Gray Hawk was present today around 11:00 to 11:25 before it flew across the freeway. It was in the trees along the railroad tracks before the Salt Shop. In a little tree across the road in front of the BBQ restaurant. After this it flew across the freeway to the high wires along the freeway on the north side.
view e-mail

[10:00 AM] December 15th, 2012 by ***: * Various eBird reports...

[2:00 PM] December 14th, 2012 by ANDY LAZERE: I searched both sides of the freeway from 0730 to 0830 without success, then returned to my starting place at 3717 Santa Claus Lane and the Gray Hawk was on the roof of the Salt building. For the next thirty minutes it was in the green area fronting the freeway, on the roof of the building east of the Salt building and then back on the Salt building.

[2:00 PM] December 13th, 2012 by ROB DENHOLTZ: The GRAY HAWK flew from the middle of Santa Claus Lane across the freeway and circled the nursery fields a few times before flying east several hundred yards. It cross back to the south side of the freeway into the Carp Salt Marsh (Basin 3). Twenty minutes later, after having walked down the RR tracks eastward and slogging into the Marsh, I saw the bird perched on a stake about three feet off the ground. At this point it was about 400 - 500 yds. east of Sandpoint Rd. It flew down on something ... missed ... and flew to another stake a few yards away. I watched it for five minutes before, being distracted by a House Finch, I missed it taking off. Fifteen minutes later it was perched on the roof of the gray building ... the western-most building on SC Lane. As a watched it, a SNOW GOOSE flew by along the beach, moving east to west.
view e-mail

[1:30 PM] December 13th, 2012 by DAVE QUADY: Having arrived shortly after the Talleys (who posted to SBCoBirds) and David Tomb saw the Gray Hawk in Carpenteria at about 9:00 am this morning, I continued to search . . . At about 1:30 pm the bird was spotted directly across Santa Claus Lane from "Salt," perched on a chain-link fence post just east of a cypress that I gather it's previously used as a perch. In the 10-15 minutes I watched it, it hunted the vegetation strip between the freeway and Santa Claus Lane, and twice flew eastward over the vegetation strip. When I left it was perched in a cypress across the street from the Padaro Beach Grill (which makes a fine burger), still hunting.
view e-mail

[8:30 AM] December 12th, 2012 by ALEX PALLEY: Kenny and I had a brief but decent view of the gray hawk this morning at about 830am. It landed in the tall eucalyptus tree behind the Surf Shop, but within 30 seconds was dive-bombed by a Red Shouldered Hawk and flew off to a distant cypress.
view e-mail

[1:00 PM] December 11th, 2012 by JEFF C.: The Gray Hawk was kind enough to land on a low hanging wire near the nursery on Sunday, allowing me to obtain a few good pictures. At one point about 20 Bicyclists and joggers went right under the hawk and it did not move from it's perch.
view e-mail

[4:00 PM] December 10th, 2012 by ERIC CULBERTSON: The Gray Hawk was hunting from the Paul Franz Construction building roof (west side) along Santa Clause Lane at 4pm today.
view e-mail

[5:00 PM] December 9th, 2012 by ERIC CULBERTSON: The GRAY HAWK was seen hunting from several perches along Santa Clause Ln. between 3-4:45pm. The majority of the time the hawk hunted the strip dividing the highway from Santa Clause Ln. Some folks from Santa Cruz reported seeing the hawk take a vole(?) from the ice plant.
view e-mail

[11:10 AM] December 7th, 2012 by MARK HOLMGREN: Adrian O'Loghlen reports that he is seeing the hawk now (11:10am) along Santa Claus Lane immediately E of the highway underpass.| It is perched between Santa Claus Lane and Hwy 101.
view e-mail

[3:30 PM] December 6th, 2012 by JOE MORLAN: Robbie Fischer called. She just had the Gray Hawk close to the Carpinteria Sanitary District Plant along Via Real.
view e-mail

[11:15 AM] December 6th, 2012 by D.L.: On my 3rd trip to Santa Claus Lane I followed excellent advice to hang out near the cute store "SALT". I got there around 10 this morning and fairly shortly saw a white car with two people armed with a spotting scope. They were from the Bay area and had info of a sighting just a short while ago. Sure enough I followed them and they quickly had the gray hawk in their scope perched on a cypress tree looking west toward Padaro Lane just to the right of the railroad tracks. I could see it in my binocs as well. After 10 minutes or so it flew off and was shortly seen on an orange post near the railroad crossing. I walked in that direction, and then turned back, when suddenly I looked up and saw the hawk perched directly above me in a tree. It was there only a few seconds, then flew across the road and perched on the chain link fence. It sat there long enough for me to get a couple of seconds of video and then flew away toward the freeway. This was at 11:12 AM.
view e-mail

[4:45 PM] December 5th, 2012 by ERIC CULBERTSON: The GRAY HAWK was seen hunting the vacant lot from the Paul Franz Construction building (west side) along Santa Clause Ln. today between 2:55 - 3:10pm when I had to leave. Larry Ballard reports he saw the bird at 3:30pm atop the "no trespassing" sign here. Driving back into Carpinteria at 4:45pm I stopped back at this location and the hawk was still hunting from the roof I had it around 3pm. Both Larry and I saw the hawk go to the ground here after prey.
view e-mail

[9:00 AM] December 4th, 2012 by LINDA LEROY: Watching the Gray Hawk from the beach, perched more than an hour on light post at the 'Salt' bldg. 9am Tues 12/4.

[1:30 PM] December 3rd, 2012 by JOE MORLAN: The Gray Hawk was still present Monday 3 December between 1pm and 1:30pm in the Eucalyptus behind the Padaro Beach Grill on Santa Claus Lane.
view e-mail

[9:00 AM] December 3rd, 2012 by GLENN KINCAID: They had driven down to see the Gray Hawk, and they had been successful. I would guess they would have seen it between 8 and 9 AM.
view e-mail

[1:30 PM] December 2nd, 2012 by MARY FREEMAN: At 1:15pm, Nick and I came across the immature GRAY HAWK as it was perched on the purple clothing store shack "Salt" roof located on the west side of 101 in Carpinteria, CA at the Santa Claus Lane exit. It seems to hunt along the Amtrak train tracks since we've arrived.

[11:00 AM] December 1st, 2012 by MICHAEL TIFFANY: Now in euc along tracks just e of grill

[11:00 AM] December 1st, 2012 by MICHAEL TIFFANY: Now in euc along tracks just e of grill

[8:30 AM] December 1st, 2012 by MAGGIE SHERRIFFS: A group is watching tge Gray Hawk from the train tracks at santa claus lane. The bird is perched in a palm toward the east end of the "taj mahal". Park where Joan suggested and walk 60 m west along the tracks.
view e-mail

[1:00 PM] November 30th, 2012 by LINDA EASTER: The third time was the charm for me today. At 1 p.m., the Gray Hawk perched in the tallest eucalyptus just inside the residential area on the east side of Santa Claus Lane. Although it was foggy, we could see it well. A nice photographer told me that it has been hunting along the railroad tracks between this tree and the Star Pine in the middle of Santa Claus Lane.
view e-mail

[11:00 AM] November 30th, 2012 by ROB HARGRAVES: Grey Hawk was seen 11am on a pole in the road between colorama and jimenez nurseries. It left about the same time myself and a local got our cameras ready headed over the freeway.

[10:00 AM] November 30th, 2012 by JOAN LENTZ: Gray Hawk now in palms @ eastern end Santa Claus Ln
view e-mail

[8:30 AM] November 30th, 2012 by EVAN CAVES: Is perched on roof top at the east end of santa clause lane, ocean side drying off. 8;30am
view e-mail

[4:15 PM] November 29th, 2012 by EVAN CAVES: As we exited onto Santa Claus Lane we were on high alert. About one minute later we were almost at the end of the lane looking at each other thinking "what the heck would a Gray Hawk be doing here?" when we saw five birders at the last set of parking spaces at the end of the lane. We immediately parked walked up and were told that the Gray Hawk was sitting in the Pine tree to the left and just prior to the entrance to the gated community (private road) on the other side of the train tracks (so very close to the reported siting this morning). We got quick looks at it, went back to the car to get more "gear" and by the time we got back (like 30 seconds later) it had been spooked by a car that had come out the community. We did not see it again.
view e-mail

[10:00 AM] November 29th, 2012 by ANDREW HOWE: At 10 am, Mike van Norman found the hawk on a small pole right where the private lane heads across the train tracks at the east end of Santa Claus. The bird flew across the freeway when a train came and has been on poles and buildings at the Colorama nursery ever since. A worker there says the bird has been around for two weeks.
view e-mail

[3:45 PM] November 28th, 2012 by CAROL AND BILL LANGFORD: At approx 3:45 Gray Hawk on S of Fwy flying W to E over vacant lot next to Construction Co. Few minutes later brief view further east and South of Santa Claus Lane. Approx 10 min later sighted on wires N of Fwy from south side near concrete and dirt fill area.
view e-mail

[9:00 AM] November 28th, 2012 by NANCY STATES: Dolores Pollack, Nina Bliss and I saw the hawk this morning about 9:00AM. It flew from the large Cypress behind the buildings near the Rincon Beach Club right over us and over the freeway to a tree at the Seaside Gardens where it perched . We got good looks at it before it was chased by a Crow. It flew low over the garden. We went over there to see if we could find it but saw only the two Kites. So Dolores and I decided to look at plants and bought a few. Those people are so nice and kind. They see the bird all the time. It comes to their pond and gets frogs I guess. They don't mind having the birders there at all. It was clear and sunny all morning down there.
view e-mail

[7:40 AM] November 28th, 2012 by HUGH RANSON: Gray Hawk being seen at 7:40 a.m. on the south side of the freeway on Santa Claus Ln. in the big cypress clump just WEST of where the buildings start on that road. There's a big heap of rubble to the west of the cypress clump. This is the spot where we got long looks at the hawk yesterday a.m. before it got really difficult, so y'all hurry on down there!!!!
view e-mail




HOME · ABOUT ME · GALLERY · STOCKLIST · VIDEO · SEARCH · PRESS · CONTACT · BLOG · NEW STUFF
bird photography
All images and video © Copyright 2006-2024 Christopher Taylor, Content and maps by their respective owner. All rights reserved.
bird photography