Subject: Hairy Harrier
Date: Feb 25 23:10:37 1999
From: Jerry Blinn - 76506.3100 at compuserve.com


Today I birded the Samish flats, via the Port Townsend ferry to Whidby
Island.

As I passed Crockett Lake on Whidby Island, near the east end I saw a
(mature) Harrier in the grass (well, whatever that stuff is in the marsh
area). Probably a good place for her since the wind was blowing pretty
good and things were generally miserable -- I can understand why she was
hunkered down.

But she was doing funny things for a hawk, so I pulled to the side of
the road, mounted my scope on the window mount and watched her for about
30 minutes.

(Jack Bettesworth -- this wasn't one of "your" birds -- no patagial tag --
and I saw none of them today. I assume your birds are smarter than
average, and stay at home by the fire on such days.)

This hawk was walking around, apparently randomly, searching in the grass.
The behavior was more like that of a hungry coyote (well, I never knew
one that wasn't hungry). After a few minutes, she seemed suddenly focused,
and then began pouncing -- again, like a coyote. She had a few apparent
misses, and then focused in one spot and started digging in the dirt with
her bill! She was throwing dirt all over the place! Again, I had visions
of a coyote trying to dig a rodent out of a hole. Finally, the harrier
stopped digging and began working on something on the ground, eventually
lifting her head with a stringy piece of bloody gristle or whatever in her
bill. She continued to eat for a couple minutes. Then just sat there.

Immediately, the questions:

Was she actually hunting on the ground because the wind was so bad? Or
had she been hunting in Harrier fashion, spotted a rodent, missed it, but
pursued it on the ground?

Do Harriers regularly dig rodents out of the ground? And I mean ~dig~.

Has anybody else observed digging Harriers?

One nice gray phase Gyrfalcon at the Samish, on the lee side of the
"Gyr-hump" on the ground at the jog in the road near the potato farm. Also
well hunkered down. Even the Roughlegs looked miserable today.

Jerry Blinn
Silverdale


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