On 15 October 2003 at 0850 hours, the authors, Betsy Tetlow, and Cecil
Brown had just driven past the ferry landing at Ft. Morgan, Baldwin County,
Alabama, when Lucy saw a dark buteo swoop over the road (Fig. 1; Duncan
and Duncan 2004). We observed the bird for an hour or so as it flew back and
forth along the end of the peninsula, at times high along with Broad-winged
Hawks (Buteo platypterus), and at times descending and disappearing behind
brush as if after prey. It exhibited a noticeable dihedral at all times, eliminating most of the common buteos that pass through the area. Peggy Baker and Ann Miller also saw the bird. The following day, 16 October, Bill Summerour
with Dick and Linda Reynolds observed the same features noted the previous
day.