Kris Baker and I walked the north loop of Spencer Island this afternoon; we hoped to see canvasbacks, and we were almost immediately rewarded when we looked to the sewage pond to the north. About 2 dozen were resting in close proximity. Just across the foot bridge to Spencer Island we saw a pileated woodpecker, and hours later we saw two of them just to the north.. Harriers and red tails and rough legged hawks were seen sporadically during the loop, and a sharpie was perched at the NE part of the loop. One harrier had a patagial tag.
As we were driving away from the parking area around 4pm we saw a number of gulls suddenly flush from the sewage plant, and we scrutinized the sudden activity. Kris spotted a large falcon in pursuit to the north, and I stopped the car just beyond the parking lot. We jumped out as the motor idled, and the peregrine looped high overhead and went south about a quarter mile to a power pole, where it landed simultaneously with a second peregrine. We drove to the next parking area under the interstate and walked the footpath up the river. I was a couple of hundred yards ahead of Kris, being more determined to observe these falcons. But apparently as I was rushing ahead, Kris was standing still and watching through her binoculars as one peregrine passed a recently killed gull to the other falcon. One sat atop a power pole ripping the gull apart as the other sat by momentarily, before flying off to the north. I stopped and looked after the kill was transferred, and neither of us actually witnessed the kill.

Kevin Li
Ballard, USA
kdli at msn.com
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