Subject: [Tweeters] Sharp-shinned (?) hawk and pileated, Lincoln Park
Date: Sep 26 16:11:05 2009
From: Trileigh Tucker - tri at seattleu.edu


This afternoon I got to witness quite an interaction in Lincoln Park, West
Seattle. I was walking in a central area of the park (where I'd previously
seen what someone identified as a Cooper's Hawk), and was hearing a
woodpecker working a tree. As I made my way over towards the sound, I was
lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a hawk flitting from branch to branch. As
a hawk novice, I can't say whether it was a Sharpie or Coop.

I was taking pictures when I heard right behind me a loud rat-tat-tat, and
turned around to see a Pileated Woodpecker just above me in a different
tree. I kept spinning back and forth to get pictures of each one.

Then to my surprise, the hawk took off and attacked the woodpecker! I had no
idea a hawk would go after something that big...just shows I have a lot to
learn. The hawk chased the woodpecker from tree to tree several times over.
I was surprised that the woodpecker kept announcing his location by
hammering trees -- or perhaps that was a warning?

Anyway, much as I would have LOVED to get a photo of the actual attacks by
the hawk, I had to settle for some good-enough ones of the two birds
separately. They're on my Flickr site at www.flickr.com/photos/trileigh/.
I'd love help with hawk ID!

Thanks much and good birding,
Trileigh

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Trileigh Tucker
Lincoln Park, West Seattle