Within the last hour I've had two bid sightings along the nature trail in
Two Rivers County Park (DeLorme - page 39, 8-C) which I believe to be
unusual for the month of July in the Lower Columbia Basin.

The first was an adult TREE SWALLOW which I first spotted resting at the tip
of a dead branch near the top of a mature Cottonwood tree. The bird would
fly out for an insect and then return to the branch much in the style of a
flycatcher.

Later, near the west end of the trail I was buzzed by a large accipter which
flew in from behind me and passed within 4 to 6 feet of my head and then
flew to a nearby prominent bare branch where it perched and appeared to
watch me in what I think was a confrontational manner. It was a large,
mature COOPER'S HAWK. When after a couple of minutes of studying each other
I decided to move off back in the direction I'd come from, it flew closer to
me again and again it took a prominent perch and this time it called several
times, making a sound that reminded me a lot of the call of a very loud
FLICKER, and I must say that the bird appeared to be aiming it's
vocalization directly at me. Now this is the first time in 15 years of
active birding that I've ever seen a COOPER'S HAWK in the summertime, but
this seems like uncharacteristic behavior for a species that I normally have
to stalk for even a glimpse at a far greater range than today's observation.
I find myself wondering if it's possible that this bird is nesting here.

Dennis Rockwell Kennewick, WA denrockwell at surfbest.net