a hawk with a straight beak? (1 Viewer)

[remmett]

I woke up this morning (usually a good sign) when I spotted what looked like a hawk, perched in a very hawk-like way about 4o feet away in a tree. It the glided to where I had my feeders and I did a double-take; here's the best description I can give:
grayish/brown/black with a long beak tipped in black, a thin white 'collar' that was on the top of his longish neck. Wings were broad, the tail had three dark horizontal bands, and the flight was definitely like a, well, hawk. Next time I'll have my camera ready...Anyway, this was in the California Sierra Nevada in the foothills about 3000 feet.
Does anyone have any ideas what this could have been?

 

[fugl]

I'm probably overlooking something obvious, but I can't think of any North American bird fitting your description. How big was the bird--robin-size, duck, goose? How long was the bill (inches)? Flying like a hawk how: soaring, gliding or what?

 

[remmett]

the bird was slightly larger than a raven -- the narrow straight bill was slightly longer than an inch (guess); glided, perched, and flew like a hawk...only the bill is the question. Very weird, but I saw it fully 5 minutes about 30 feet away when it perched by the feeder.
Next time, I'll have the camera at hand!

It's enough to make one question one's sanity|:S|

 

[scuba0095]

it was a bonxie

 

[fugl]

The best suggestion I can come up with is Black-crowned Night Heron which is big & vaguely hawk-like in flight & has a long straight bill. The adult is black-white-gray, the immature mostly brownish. Neither has a strongly barred tail, however.