Subject: [Tweeters] Swainson's Hawk sightings (Vancouver WA area)
Date: Dec 1 21:25:21 2008
From: Dwight - dinpdx at yahoo.com


Scott,

Thanks for posting info about the Swainson's Hawk including your sighting today.


Also regarding your comment: "Once again, Swainson's Hawk was written on the board as having been seen perched in a tree between posts 9 and 10. Unfortunately, all I could turn
up in that area were several Red-tailed Hawks."


I saw your posts regarding the "Swainson's Hawk" written on the board at Ridgefield River S, and I was wondering if there was a time of day given for the second sighting on Saturday 11/29/08. That afternoon I saw the same? bird at 3:30 PM or so at the location described by Lyn Topinka- Shillapoo Wildlife Area along LaFrambois Road. I'm wondering if it's the same bird or if there may be two birds in the area. The locations are less than ten miles apart, but the bird I saw Saturday at Shillapoo seemed pretty content to hang out in the area in spite of the all the hunters, dogs, and car traffic (and the five of us watching it). Maybe the bird gets chased off the River S unit by some of the numerous Red Tails that are there. With all the bird observation going on at River S (people driving around the loop) it seems odd that it has only been reported twice. I think you are the only person who has mentioned seeing this posting on the board at River S. It would
be nice to get unusual sightings with the time of day noted (and maybe the names of the observers, like at Malheur HQ). Thanks for sharing your sightings- I'd like to see the Short-eared Owls myself.

Also, thanks for the description from Brian Wheeler's book. I went back and read it again and studied the photos I took. It's amazing how many little details/field marks there are to birds-the pale throat with dark center streak, etc.

Dwight Porter
Portland OR
dinpdx at yahoo.com