Subject: MIA bird mystery solved
Date: Jan 24 20:33:50 2002
From: Patricia Hansen - pmhansen at drizzle.com


Three Anna's and four pine siskin were my only birds today and even they
disappeared about 9am. I saw NO bird activity at all. Even the pigeon who
shows up twice a day, like clockwork, for toast, was absent. About 2 pm I
was sitting at my computer, still watching both balconies for at least the
Anna's, I was trying to justify the nasty weather for the lack of birds,
when I saw a sparrow land on my birdbath. then, KaWHAM! something hit the
sliding door window and fell to the floor, it was a sharp shinned hawk. The
sparrow escaped but left a few feathers fluttering in the breeze, the hawk
recovered in a few minutes and flew up into the bare alder tree just in
front of the balcony. I went to the window to get a better look and saw a
second one also in the tree. They were perched just a few feet apart. They
came and went the rest of the afternoon until dark, no other birds were seen
at all. The pigeons that usually line-up on the telephone lines down the
street were also absent.

I took the opportunity of no birds to do a daylight swap of hummer feeders
and clean the birdbath and the hawks just watched. I was very surprised
they didn't leave when I opened the sliding door. From where I was standing
on my balcony to where they were perched was only about 20ft. This is the
first time I have ever seen one, glad I got my new book so I knew what kind
it was. They were so close I could see their eyes blink! WOW! Pretty
impressive looking birds.

Patricia Hansen
2 Balconies,3rd Floor
Tacoma, Wa. USA
pmhansen at drizzle.com


"Use what talent you possess:
the woods would be
very silent if no birds sang
except those that sang best."
- Henry Van Dyke