Hi Tweeters,



Yesterday evening at dusk some friends and I noticed three immature red-tails in a row of poplars near Ellensburg. My friends and I decided to stay and watch them for a bit as there seemed to be a lot of activity. Over the next 10-15 minutes or so we watched more and more red-tails arrive. Some landed in the almost bare poplars while another group was forming in a group (also a row) of three spruce or fir trees (it was pretty much dark by this time so not positive of ID). There were at least eight but possibly up to around 14 red-tails between the two groups of trees and we noticed that some of the birds would land in the poplars and then head over to the spruce/fir trees where they would land quite deep in the trees. Most were juveniles although there were at least two adults I believe. Has anyone seen this before? Also of note was one Great Horned Owl less than a block away on a telephone pole. I have never heard of a communal roost of red-tails although it makes more sense of course that most were juveniles. Has anyone seen this before?



Simone Lupson-Cook

Seattle, WA

zingie at aol.com