What does your gut and mind say?

My quick answer -  2 sightings.

The fact that the Harrier was within easy flying distance and that you 
saw the two sightings in such a short time I would think it was the same 
bird. And there was no evidence that there was a second bird by your 
note, even though that was a possibliity.

Being 5 miles away from the first sightings is too far within that time 
frame for the Harrier to be following you to a different spot.  I think 
this was your second sighting of a Harrier for the day.

Just my opinion.

Dick Harlow
Middlebury, VT



On 11/24/15 07:32, Pieter van Loon wrote:
> I checked ebird help for an answer to this question, but couldn't find one, so am looking to you all for help. Yesterday I was driving around Addison and saw three harriers. Or did I see one? The first time I saw one was on Gage Rd. It was a female headed NW across the open fields, beating into a fairly stiff north wind. About 10 minutes later, I was parked at the Brilyea access and another one popped up. Since it was only a little over a mile from where I saw the first one, was also a female and was NW of my first sighting, I assumed it was the same bird. About 40 minutes later, I was headed south on 125 when another female swooped over the road in front of me. I pulled over and watched it for a minute while it headed NE. This time I was about 5 miles south of the second sighting.
>
> So my question is, do I enter this as one sighting, two sightings, or 3? Thanks for your help.
> Pieter
> Marlboro
>