[EBB Sightings] interesting hawk, Oakland

As I was standing in front of my house in the Oakland hills (Oakmore 
neighborhood south of Park Blvd between 580 and 13) this afternoon, I 
glanced up and saw a raptor gliding almost directly overhead that struck 
me as very unusual looking, and that I could not ID.  I did not have 
binoculars, but the bird was only about 200 feet up, so I could see it 
reasonably well.  I could see only the underside.  I had it in sight for 
between 5 and 10 seconds.  The bird was gliding from west to east in a 
very straight line and never flapped its wings.  I disappeared over the 
horizon heading in the direction of Joaquin Miller Park.

The shape and size appeared to be that of a medium to large buteo, with 
long and broad wings.  The body looked stocky.  The breast was clean, 
bright white.  The belly was also whitish, but not as bright as the 
breast.  The underside of the wings were white near the body but mostly 
blackish.  I do not have a clear recollection of the arrangement of 
black and white on the underwings, but I am pretty sure the bird did not 
have dark patagial marks.

I probably did not get a good fix on the wings because I had a hard time 
taking my eyes off the tail, which was fanned very wide and looked 
extremely short, extending barely beyond the feet.  The underside of the 
tail was white with a single, distinct, medium-width black subterminal band.

I hesitate to say this for fear of being laughed out of the state, but 
after looking through a few field guides, the only bird that is a good 
fit with what I think I saw is adult White-tailed Hawk.  I am not 
claiming that is what it was - I know how wildly improbable that is - 
just saying that is what I recall it looking like.  I would be 
interested in hearing if anyone else sees a bird resembling this 
description.

Glen Tepke
Oakland
g.tepke (at) comcast (dot) net
www.pbase.com/gtepke