Subject: Two interesting sightings from Yakima
Date: Jan 17 16:54:42 2004
From: Jack Bowling - jbinpg at shaw.ca


On Thu, Jan 15, 2004 at 01:33:01PM -0800, Denny Granstrand wrote:
> Hi Tweeters,
>
> I got a call today from a guy who works in the building at 409 N. 2nd St. in downtown Yakima. A bird flew into the window of his office and succumbed to its injuries. He couldn't identify the bird so I stopped by and picked it up. It was a Gray Partridge, which should be hanging out miles away in the shrub-steppe. It is puzzling to think what it was doing in town. I would think the closest decent, or even marginal, habitat is over a mile away from that office.
>
> When I drove into my driveway on the southwest edge of Yakima at noon today I saw two Red-tailed Hawks flying close together in what looked like courtship. One was actually carrying something and the other was trying to steal it. The second one ended up with it and landed on a power pole. What it stole was a Barn Owl wing. Evidently one of the Barn Owls I saw in the pasture to the south of my house last week died. (Photos of one of them while still alive are in the "new photos" folder on my website). You wouldn't think there would be much to eat on a Barn Owl wing but it was enough for Red-tailed Hawks to fight over.

In the mid-1970s, a Red-tailed Hawk was photographed with a
Short-eared Owl kill at Cape St James, BC which is the southernmost
point of the Queen Charlotte Islands. I assume Red-tails are quite
capable of taking a Barn Owl if so inclined.

--
Jack Bowling
mailto: jbinpg at shaw.ca