Dear tweetsters,

This is a request on behalf of Ernie Rose, raptor keeper at Woodland Park
Zoo in Seattle.

A Red-tailed Hawk was brought to the zoo after it was partially
rehabilitated (injured feathers, incapable of flight, etc.). Rehabilitation
was completed at the zoo, where about two months ago during flight training,
the bird decided it wasn't going to come back. Initially it hung around the
zoo, visiting the raptor area regularly. Ernie tried to lure it down, but
apparnetly the bird was doing well enough on its own that it showed no more
than glancing interest in the proffered food.

The theory is the bird was on rodent patrol in the zoo (with all the food
the zoo puts out, the rat population is considerable). The bird looked in
good condition. The only concern now are the long leather straps (jesses)
the bird has on its legs. There is some risk of entanglement. Ernie has
decided that if he catches the bird he wants to take the jesses off and
release it officially (perhaps some other location than the middle of the
city). Increasingly, the bird has wandered farther away from the zoo and has
been reported by people from surrounding neighborhoods.

Ernie would like to enlist your help in keeping an eye on this bird. It's an
adult bird with long leather straps on both legs. Should be easy to
recognise. If you do see the bird (keep an ear out for alarmed crows),
please call the raptor center at (206) 684-4013 and leave a message. Please
include the bird's location and time of observation.

With thanks for your cooperation, on behalf of Ernie,
Martin Muller, Seattle.
MartinMuller at email.msn.com