On 3/1/06 at around 9:30 a.m., just a short distance south of Discovery Bay on 101 -- perched upon a low fence post in a hay field, there was an unmistakable adult dark morph Ferruginous Hawk.

I am new to the area, but having moved from the Southwest, readily recognize ferruginous hawks. I noticed that the field guides place them nowhere near the Olympic Peninsula during Winter. I am assuming this is a rare bird here, not only based on field guides but on available habitat. Please let me know if sightings of this hawk on the Olympic Peninsula are more common than I think, Thanks.

Joe D.
Olympia, WA.