I took a brief jaunt to Theler Wetlands in Belfair (Mason County) in the
late AM today. It was pretty quiet, just scads of BLACK-CAPPED and
CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, trillions of SONG SPARROWS, many BEWICK'S
WRENS...

Out on the boardwalk towards the water I heard an intense squawking and
turned around to see a male RING-NECKED PHEASANT being pursued by what
turned out to be a good-size juvenile COOPER'S HAWK. The pheasant dived
into some dense bushes, the hawk perched in a bare-branched tree, waiting, I
assume, for the pheasant to pop back up. While perched it afforded me great
looks at it--light eye color, streaking on the breast, a faint cap. After
about 5 minutes it gave up on the pheasant and took off.

Doesn't a pheasant seem like awfully big prey for this hawk?? Maybe the
fact that it's a juvenile has something to do with its choice of a potential
meal.

Mary

Mary Klein
Bremerton WA
CelloBird at seanet.com