Hi Tweets,

I saw something today I'd rather not see, but yet was exciting to see at
the same time. My Father and I were down at the Ballard Locks as
usual, and while I was watching two Belted Kingfishers chase around
another bird flew in and grabbed one of the kingfishers and both birds
spiraled to the ground behind the restrooms. I hurried as fast as I could
and right off the sidewalk, close to the Atlas Cedar and Canyon Live Oak
was an immature Coopers Hawk with a still flapping Belted Kingfisher in
its talons. There was a woman ahead of me obliviously walking toward it and
I yelled at her to stop, thankfully she understood. We got about 20 seconds
of viewing before the hawk flew off with its prize into a thick grove of
trees across the road.

There are a pair of BEKI that have nested here for at least five years and
the male is easily identifiable, I call him "Old Flattop" because he never
shows a crest, he looks like he has a crew cut, I hope it wasn't him. I
suppose this is a good reason why you shouldn't name birds in the real world.

Also, "Beanie" the Hatch-year Greater White-Fronted Goose is still around
hanging out with the Canada Geese, this time up by the nursery. Just
kidding about the name...

Cliff Drake
Seattle WA
cliffdrake at qwest.net