I have watched these birds very closely for the last few years and they seem to gather from time to time. When the fields near the old Black Angus Ranch above Thorpe are covered in snow or when the temp's drop and the wind has been blowing the birds seem to push down into Kittitas Valley a little further. The Rough-Legged hawks will move together (usually 4 or 5) and end up in this region or the field directly across from Ringer Road as you are going into the Yakima River Canyon. I floated the river on Saturday and also noted a high concentration of birds but no Rough-Legged Hawks. Weird. Always a few at that location. Perhaps the birds you saw were these birds?
Now that the hatchery has had a few years of decent returns to the Yakima River it seems the Eagle populations have also increased. As these hatchery fish are mixing in with wild species the gravel bars that have been void of fish for a number of years now have food for the Fall/Winter Eagles. Great for the birds but horrible for the overall gene pool and genetic diversity that allows fish to adapt to each ecosystem. I read in a book recently that there is not 1 pure genetic strain of fish left in the state (anadromous fish runs here) due to hatchery strays breeding in the wild. Very sad. For all the bad press that the damns get for depleting fish stocks it may be this gene dilution that ultimately causes their demise. Anyway, I have noticed many more Eagles this last 2 years in the canyon as well. Any given day right now can turn up as many as 20. Looks like you had a great day!

Bryan
Shoreline, Wa.
jennandbryan at msn.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Nightwings406 at aol.com
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 8:08 AM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] Ellensburg Raptors

Drove from our place in Cle Elum on a sunny Sunday afternoon to pick up our friends in Ellensburg that live off the Wilson Creek/Lyons Rd in Ellensburg. (Washington Gazetteer page 67) They wanted us to take them to look for Eagles. We looped up Fairview Rd and back around on Wilson Creek. There was a high concentration of Red-tailed and Rough-legged Hawks on Fairview Rd. The most I have ever seen in one area. Other raptors we saw were two Northern Harriers, 3 Kestrels and 19 Bald Eagles.

Donna Ferrill
Mill Creek/Cle Elum
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