Tweets:

For the past week, during my daily walk at Westcrest Park (West Seattle), I
have been hearing the very frequent call(s) of one or two hawks. I thought
they were Red-Tails, because the call was the distinctive Red-Tail call, an
"asthmatic squeal, keer-r-r, slurring downward" (as Peterson describes it).
However, this evening I was finally able to spot these two birds, and I was
surprised to discover what I believe were two immature Sharpies. These
birds were very active, flying through the dense trees, calling virtually
continuously. Now I'm left with several questions: (1) Hunn's Birding in
Seattle and King County indicates that Sharpies do not nest here, nor are
they supposed to be in this area this time of year. Is this still
considered to be accurate? (2) Contrary to descriptions in most field
guides, do Sharpies really produce a nasally keer-r-r like Red-Tails? (3)
Why are these birds so agitated, moving about and calling continuously?
I'm assuming that they're attempting to call in their parents...Bring
Food! Any other possibilities? (4) From what I've read, young Sharpies
depend on adults for food for 21-28 days postfledging. I would guess that
these birds are way past 4 weeks old. So, would they still be calling out
for their parents?

Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Janet Keen
West Seattle