Hi tweeters; I wanted to share a sighting from yesterday. While in my
office at the U. of Puget Sound, I was talking with Terry Wahl on the
phone, looking out the window as I do when in that situation (I used to try
to work on my computer but stopped after I fumbled too many conversations),
and a Peregrine whooshed overhead, heading north. I hope I didn't deafen
him when I started yelling for the other people in the museum to look out
the window (I usually do this for accipiters). I probably would never have
considered seeing this species from my office window in the past, but there
are more and more of them out there to be seen all the time. There's also
one on the Tacoma waterfront that I see regularly on my commute.

However, I haven't seen the bird that used to perch on the towers above the
ship canal bridge on I-5 for well over a month now. Any other sightings of
Freeway?

For some time I have been predicting that Peregrine will be one of the next
birds added to my yard list. It's the only Seattle falconiform I haven't
seen from there, except for Northern Harrier and Rough-legged Hawk. For
those of you who keep yard lists, stand outside on nice September and
October middays and watch the sky. In 3 years I've seen quite a few hawks
migrating over my house (NE 98 St.), including lots of red-tails,
sharp-shins, and Cooper's, vultures twice, 2 kestrels, 2 Ospreys, and a
goshawk. No partridges, no pear trees (but a quail once and a plum tree).

Dennis Paulson phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416