One last thing, just in case it was not clear, there is little doubt
that Goshawks are very rare in the Puget Lowlands, especially in the
breeding season. I think anyone that claims otherwise will need to
produce some empirical evidence to prove otherwise.

Russell
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Russell, Mary, Emily, Willie, and Paddy
219 South Second Ave
Sequim WA 98382
(360) 582-3781
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On Dec 14, 2007, at 10:51 AM, Russell Rogers wrote:

> Tweeters,
>
> I have seen a handful of Goshawks in the Puget Lowlands (i.e. at or
> a round sea level) in the past 15 years. Most have been immature
> birds during winter months. I saw them twice in the urban habitat
> of West Seattle in the mid 1990's.
>
> I have seen Goshawks only three times in the lowlands during
> breeding season, all three times they were adult birds. The first
> was at McChord AFB in 1997 or 1998, I don't remember the exact
> date. This was a adult bird flying in circles above the tree tops
> (in appropriate breeding habitat) giving a chattering call, which
> is typically given in their home range. I saw another bird whiz
> through the same location at light speed, below the tree tops the
> following day or so. I never saw another Goshawk at McChord or Fort
> Lewis. I have to conclude that they did not breed at that location
> as I spent five full seasons there in the field nearly every day.
> If they were breeding in the area, I would assume that I would have
> seen them more often.
>
> The only other time that I saw one in the breeding season in the
> Puget Lowlands was in my yard in Tumwater. in June of 2000 (I
> think). It passed through, again at near light speed, just over my
> roof top. I have a brief but very good look at it.
>
> I also recall that in the late 1990's a falconer had located a nest
> in the South Puget Sound that was almost water side. As is often
> the case with falconers, the exact location was never given up.
>
> Russell
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------
> Russell, Mary, Emily, Willie, and Paddy
> 219 South Second Ave
> Sequim WA 98382
> (360) 582-3781
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------------------
>
> On Dec 14, 2007, at 9:13 AM, Kelly McAllister wrote:
>
>> I agree with Jim Flynn. If someone posts a link to a website or
>> blog, inviting Tweeters subscribers to take a look, it's
>> appropriate that Tweeters subscribers who have a critique to
>> share, go ahead and share it with the group. It's not that
>> different from someone posting a link to a picture of a bird that
>> want help identifying, having me post a message to the group
>> misidentifying it, and having others post messages correcting my
>> misidentification. It happens frequently and it's a growth
>> experience for everyone involved.
>>
>> And, now that I've totally discredited my own abilities, I'll
>> mention that I've been a fairly active and engaged birder (and
>> wildlife biologist) in the Puget Sound lowlands since 1980 with
>> annual Christmas Bird Counts and midwinter waterfowl inventories
>> getting me for prolonged periods during the winter. The only
>> Northern Goshawks I've positively identified near sea level in the
>> Puget Sound region were immature birds, during winter. Both were
>> in the South Bay area north of Olympia, one hanging out looking at
>> chickens in a pen off of Lemon Road and the other perched on poles
>> along the pier of the old Naval facility on the Budd Inlet
>> waterfront.
>>
>> Wahl, Tweit, and Mlodinow's "Birds of Washington" suggests rarity
>> or complete absence from the Puget lowlands, at least on the east
>> side of Puget Sound.
>>
>> I'd be among the first to admit that may be something amiss with
>> the level of effort and expertise that's been applied to the
>> question in all areas of the Puget Lowlands but I'd reject any
>> suggestion that it's a regularly occurring species throughout the
>> region.
>>
>> You can believe the frequent sightings in the north Sound if you
>> want to and I can show you many other questionable information you
>> may wish to believe, like maps of sightings of wolves and grizzly
>> bears from all over Washington state and the maps of Lynx
>> extending well into Oregon.
>>
>>
>> And I just had a bit of a dogfight between a crow and an accipiter
>> outside my window. Wonder what it was... a goshawk maybe? Yeah,
>> that's it...
>>
>> Kelly McAllister
>> Olympia, Washington
>>
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