Hey tweets, a Red-shouldered Hawk showed up at the Fill today (Feb.
5), much to my amazement. I first saw it while I was sitting at East
Point, looking west toward Canoe Island in full sun. I saw a smallish
hawk perched in the reddish, bare tree slightly to the southwest of
the big blackberry bush on the island. The bird had reddish barring
all down its front, and a pale head with a dark eye and a little
smudging around the eye. No eyebrow. It flew to another perch, a stick
sticking out of the bramble bush, and sat there for a while. Then it
flew out over the slough, banked (so I could see its fan-shaped tail
with many narrow white bars on it), and plunged into the cattails on
Canoe Island. It stayed down long enough to eat a meal (a rat
perhaps?). Then it flew north. I relocated it a bit later perched in
the tall cottonwoods at East Point. I was standing behind the little
hawthorne tree just north of Southeast Pond, so I was pretty close. I
got good looks at its back (dark with some white mottling, though not
as much white as is shown in National Geo), and its head (fine
streaking on top, no cap of any sort). It started to get agitated at
my steady gazing, so I backed off. When I turned to look again, it was
gone. I tried to relocate it this afternoon but had no luck at all.

If you go looking for this bird, be aware that there are two Cooper's
Hawk adults who pay frequent visits, and a gorgeous,creamy juvenile.
Merlins come by now and then too, and of course the ever-present Red-
tails. I haven't seen any Sharp-shinned Hawks yet this year, though
the neighbors on Surber say there is one who comes to the feeders now
and then. So you'll need more than just a fleeting look to be sure.

Also on view: Redheads still out on the lake; Western Meadowlarks
singing; two Ruddy Ducks in the slough area; Brown Creepers in Surber
Grove (and other places, too) - I mention this for the sake of
photographers who want to get a shot of a Brown Creeper out in the
open in good sunlight. Morning light on Surber Grove was great today,
and the little creeper just a few yards away.

By the way, the white board is up and running! I have been posting
this week and will continue to do so. Please let me know if you like
what is covered. If you want to post your sightings, ask for 2 keys at
the CUH facility office (near the receptionist's desk). You need two
keys to unlock to cabinet. Pens are in there now. I'll try to remember
to bring pushpins for the corkboard.

Photographers: if you'd like to supply paper copies of your wonderful
photos, you can leave them with the receptionist (and let her know
they're for me). I'll arrange to get them into the cabinet. I'd like
to start building up a photo library over the next year or two so we
can show non-birders what our regulars look like. If you do leave
photos, please put your name on them somewhere - I'd like to make sure
the world knows your work. - Connie, Seattle

constancesidles at gmail.com