On Sun, 4 May 1997, Sue Ericksen wrote:

> Any hawk experts out there?

Sure. That would be me, yuck yuck.

Zillah is at the western edge of the known breeding range of Swainson's
Hawks in Washington but it is within the range. Known nests include
a few to the northwest, like in the Yakima Canyon/Selah area and on the
west edge of the Yakima Firing Center. I have seen Swainson's
Hawk nests in people's front yards, along their driveways and beside
busy county roads. Their nests tend to be shallow, flimsy things compared
to the substantial structures that Red-tailed Hawks usually build. Red-tailed
Hawks tend to build their nests high off the ground. Swainson's Hawks often
build very low down in trees or on poles.

With a dark-phase Swainson's Hawk the white patch below the beak should stand
out in sharp contrast to the breast. I don't know about the rust on the
carpals.

That's about all I'm good for. The description does sound like a strong
possibility for a pair of Swainson's Hawks.

Kelly McAllister
Olympia Washington