Tweeters,

On Red-tails in Seattle neighborhoods.
As far as I know there's a nest in lower Queen Anne, almost due east of the
Grain Terminal at Pier 86 (slightly north). Locals talk of having seen the
nest. I've only seen birds disappearing into dense canopies carrying sticks in
late winter. Of course there are what look like Red-tail families hanging out
in that area in autumn. The adults have been around a few years and are
frequently observed at the Grain Terminal during Peregrine observations in
winter.

The male has a particularly scruffy look. To me it looks like someone took a
wire brush and brushed most of his flight feathers the wrong way. This has
been the same for several years, so I guess they're replaced that way. This
doesn't appear to influence his flying abilities. As a matter of fact, this
male hunts and catches Rock Doves in flight. His strategy is to circle around
the Grain Terminal top, then swoop down below the roof line of the conveyor
belt structures above the silos, zip around the corner to the other side and
surprise pigeons congregated there. I've never actually seen the moment of
impact, but I've seen him zip around the structure and come out with a
struggling pigeon in his talons. I've seen this four times now. I've never
seen him bite down in flight, he always lands on the on top of the offshore
structure. Three times he shared the pigeon with the large adult female, even
though it was mid-winter.

Other Red-tail nests in Seattle are in West Seattle, the greenbelt above
Duwamish Head and Ed Deal tells me of Red-tails nesting along the southern
portion of Rainier Avenue.