Subject: Swainson's Hawks in W. WA
Date: Jan 21 13:35:07 2004
From: Jason Paulios - jpaulios at earthlink.net


Well, since I've injured myself and can't chase gulls I guess I'll chime in
here. The new Birder's Guide to WA states that Swainson's Hawks are casual
in the west (most likely during spring migration). Page 531 states that
CASUAL means, "Occurs less than annually, but there tends to be a pattern
over time at the right time of year in appropriate habitat." The bar graph
on page 535 in Birder's Guide shows records for western Washington starting
at end of March and going through mid May. This seems to state that fall
birds are quite unlikely on this side...but some of the recent posts
(Scott's Skagit numbers) indicate that they seem possible as well during the
fall window. Also in WOS News 88 the western Washington bird that Keith
Brady and I had at Nisqually NWR was seen on 5/13 in the large ag fields
north of the Twin Barns (also probable same bird on the 14th from
observation tower on the flats) and was listed as "rare"...though I couldn't
find the WOS definition for this term. The Field Notes editors must use a
different system since Birder's Guide calls rare: "Occurs annually in small
numbers..." and the WOS News 88 Field Notes also lists Scissor-tailed
Flycatcher and Costa's Hummer as "rare" and they aren't annual in small
numbers...at least I don't think they are!

O.k. that was boring. Now get out there and bird for those of us who can't
swivel their necks at the moment! Ouch, I hurt myself typing that.

Jason Paulios
Jpaulios at earthlink.net
Olympia, WA