Hi Tweeters,

Saturday 11 March, I led a "Beginning Raptor" class from Yakima through the
Yakima Canyon into the Kittitas Valley of eastern Washington. At the
tutorial at the outset, I explained we would seek and study representatives
of the major groups present in the area at this season: sea eagles,
harriers, Accipiters, Buteos, Aquila eagles, and falcons. I went onto
explain that Accipiters have proven surprisingly difficult to locate in
south-central Washington at this time in March and, that keeping vigil on
ones home feeder might be the best strategy to observe a species from this
group.

Beginning stops with the class in the Yakima Canyon yielded great or
reasonable studies of: Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk,
Golden Eagle (pair on near their massive cliffside nest), American Kestrel,
and Prairie Falcon. But, as usual, Accipiters remained elusive.

On a walk along lovely Umtanum Creek, Ken Bevis and I spotted an Accipiter
making its way up valley. "Hmm.... Ken, I think we might have a goshawk," I
exclaimed. Then I became confused. Grayish, long-tailed, but its flight
style was totally uncharacteristic of any I had ever seen by a goshawk. Its
wingbeats were exaggerated and swept-back, as if rowing. It very much
reminded me of the display flight of a male Northern Harrier. We became
surer, however, we were observing a goshawk. The situation became much
clearer shortly when yet another large gray raptor appeared, soaring below
the first - a female Northern Goshawk! Both slowly climbed higher into the
brilliant blue skies and drifted west towards the forested east slopes of
the Cascades, their possible breeding grounds. I surmised these birds were
a pair, travelling from their wintering quarters to mature forests in the
mountains.

Once home, I did some reading and found (Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the
World. L. Brown & D. Amadon. 1968. Country Life Books) the following: "The
pair [of the Northern Goshawk] remains together as long as both are alive,
at least in areas where the species is non-migratory. They winter alone and
somewhat apart, but in early spring the female goes to the nesting place of
the year before and screams to attract her mate. Display consists of
soaring and flying over the nesting area with characteristically slow,
harrier-like wingbeats." Thus, it would seem the pair we observed over
Umtanum Creek remained "somewhat" together during the winter and initiated
pair-bonding and courtship display behavior (or, at least strengthing of
the already established pair bond) while on their wintering areas. It also
seemed apparent these birds can engage in display flights and perhaps other
courtship rituals before they approach their breeding territories, this
contradicts the literature I cite above if I have interpreted this
observation correctly.

So...we got our Accipiter and what a sight it was!

Then, it was off to the Kittitas Valley where we encountered a large field
full of cattle, some apparently calving, for there were Bald Eagles all
over; we counted 13 from one spot! After birth would be the attraction at
this season here, I believe. A nice ending for the day, though it was
evident Rough-legged Hawks were scarce; we saw none, in dramatic contrast
to a similar trip a year ago when the Kittitas Valley had numerous
Rough-legs.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA
steppie at wolfenet.com