Tweets,
Monday on Vantine Rd. near Tenino I observed a female harrier doing aerial
acrobatics I've never seen before. Twice in succession it dived while
twisting/rotating, then regained its elevation in kind of a loopty-loop, and
was even flying upside down. My view of what was happening at the bottom of
the dive toward the treetops was largely obstructed, as this occurred about
40 yards from me looking upward from the base of a hillside/ridge with
~10-year-old planted fir trees. The bird was also calling/crying with
several detached distress-sounding notes, which I don't recall hearing
before either. I'm wondering whether it was stooping on prey in the thick
stand (I've seen harriers work this wooded ridge twice before, but it's
unusual), chasing off a predator, or engaging in a mating display. Shortly a
male harrier appeared flying off over the short treetops (I could not see
from where, other than it was very nearby), and the two flew off together in
normal flight.
I had been tipped off that something was up. A half-mile or so previous
about 10 jays got all worked up and were headed somewhere toward this
neighborhood to investigate. At my next pulloff (this location) I saw a few
feathers floating in the air. And a number of other songbirds were very
agitated, especially a lone Hairy Woodpecker at nearly ground level giving
distress calls. My first thought was that a pygmy owl, a regular here, took
out the Hairy's mate. (I ended up seeing in the vicinity 3 pair each of
Downys and sapsuckers in the vicinity, plus numerous flickers--all were very
active). Any thoughts on the harrier's behavior?
Also had my first singing Yellow-rump Monday.
Good birding!
Paul Hicks
Tenino, s Thurston Co
phicks AT accessgrace.org