Oh , sweet success! After a more than 200 mile drive from Federal Way
to Mansfield, I located the NORTHERN HAWK OWL at 3;30 pm this
afternoon 2/18. I came up through Wenatchee and Waterville on RT 2,
turned north and east on RT 172. I did not find Road B and went into
Mansfield and out on the east then north to Road 15. I ended up
backtracking to the west. Most lettered roads are marked, except B. It
is actually Bridgeport ( Hills?) Road, 3 miles west of Mansfield. RT
172 actually is Road 14. Once heading north on Bridgeport Road , B and
15th is the next intersection, however there was no owl. I drove
about a quarter mile further to a mostly derelict farm with some
trees. Again no owl. I went further and found two trees with three
COMMON RAVENS. I turned around, back to 15th Road and searched all
power line posts to no avail. I read some of the recent e-mails again
and they mentioned 16th Road. I went all the way north to 17th Road,
but did not see any signs for 16th Road. At this point I gave up and
decided to head for home, hoping to at least hit I-90 before dark. As
I passed the derelict farm, I happened to catch the silhouette of a
midsized bird in a tree on the west side of the road. It had a long
tail and somewhat had the jizz of a Cooper's Hawk. As I pulled over. I
knew that Lady Luck had stopped playing games with me!
It was in a bare tree, in front of a shed/barn made out of corrugated
metal and has a small white building under the tree ( outhouse?). What
a gorgeous bird! We made eye contact several times with 60 X scope
views, which left me totally impressed. The owl though showed little
interest in just another birder! Sorry folks for going sentimental on
you, but it has been a long eventful day! If anybody is going out to
see the owl and wants a verbal on directions, feel free to call me!


Hans Feddern
Twin Lakes - Federal Way
253-874-0896

PS. "Of course Virginia! You guessed right - it is a lifer for me!"