Tweets--

There is a pair of redtail hawks at the Nisqually NWR that is
interesting. The male, well--at least it's the smaller of the
two--is so light in coloration that I mis-ID'd it as an immie..it was
perched on a post in the middle of a field near the entrance to the
Refuge and I only had my lesser bins with me..sighh-hh
Jim Pruske, accomplished photographer and frequent visitor to the
refuge has seen this bird several times and is also puzzling about
it's light coloration.

I slowed my rig to look and it took off revealing a lot of
white under it's wings..it is also very white on the breast
with no discernible belly band..that I could see. It flew to
a tree and when I drove down near the tree (fortunately it was
near the road) it moved enough for me to see the faded blush
of orange in it's tail. hmmm-mmmmm...this is an adult bird.

In Wheeler & Clark's A Photographic Guide to N. American
Raptors, the only picture of a redtail that's close is
the Fuertes on p. 95. the pix of this bird
were taken in AZ,TX etc.. hmmm-mmmmm...

Anyone know of a Fuertes sighting this side of the mts?
Is this a realistic possibility for this area?

Tom




Tom Foote footet at elwha.evergreen.edu
Lab II
The Evergreen State College (360) 866-6000 x6118
Olympia, WA 98505