Walking my son out to the bus stop yesterday morning, we heard loud,
panicked, high-pitched screaming coming from the top of a fir tree across
the street. Crows & Stellars jays where looking on with concern. Finally, a
Red tail hawk flew out of the tree, clutching a very indignant, squalling
Pileated woodpecker. The hawk couldn't get any lift holding the woodpecker
and descended at a rapid rate, finally dropping the woodpecker on the road.
The Pileated bounced a couple of times and then made a bouncing, hasty
retreat to the roadside bushes. The hawk meantime, was perched overhead,
trying to locate his breakfast. The jays had had enough and started mobbing
the hawk, who flew off. We could not locate the Pileated, but hope he
survived.

Pam Stanton-Wyman
Carnation, WA
mailto:pstanton at snovalley.com