Inevitably, the first time I visited Marymoor Park without binoculars in hand, I was confronted with an interesting bird and a tough ID.

Right around sunset we saw a raptor perched atop a pole. My immediate impression was that it was too small to be a redtail, which was seemingly confirmed after a crow started harassing it. They were proximal in size, with the raptor perhaps being very slightly larger.

The only field marks in the iffy light were a dark head and face, including the chin, and a pronounced belly band, which was more reminiscent of what you might see on a light-phase rough-legged hawk than on a redtail, at least in my experience.

It parachuted off the pole to grab some prey, but we didn't see whether it succeeded, because we were blocked off from it's landing and its subsequent flight. It seemed buteo-like with the primaries and tail feathers fanned, but I could be convinced otherwise.

Any ideas?

Jim McCoy
jfmccoy at earthlink.net
Redmond, WA