Hey all,

I found a Red-shouldered Hawk this morning at the Mabton Boat Launch. I originally saw the bird from the boat launch parking lot, and later heard it calling for about 5 minutes from a very tall deciduous tree (a Black Locust?). We lost it for a while afterwards, but for the last several hours Kevin Lucas has seen and heard the bird on and off south of the bridge on the east side of the road. There is a little pullout on the west side of the road just south of the bridge that I suggest parking at, then walking across the road. The bird has been back in the tall riparian forest, occasionally flying out or calling. The area of habitat is rather vast and somewhat difficult to cover from the road, so a wait may be necessary to view the bird. I'm thinking it may be more active in morning and night, so that may be your best bet to try and see the bird. The habitat at the boat launch is similar to the habitat I've found them in in Oregon and California, even around Ridgefield NWR. Hopefully this will entice the hawk to stick around!

Red-shouldered Hawk wasn't the only noteworthy bird there, the whole place is crawling with migrants! Of note were Townsend's Solitaire, Nashville Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Black-crowned Night Heron. Attached is the complete list from the boat launch this morning. It's a place I'll definitely be covering a lot over the next few weeks!

Sunnyside-Mabton Boat Launch, Yakima, Washington, US
Sep 7, 2017 8:48 AM - 11:28 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Great morning of birding! Not as many migrants as Monday, but still an impressive number with some really good birds! Mabton is beginning to look like a potentially overlooked gem in the county, I'll continue birding here a few times a week for the next three weeks if my schedule allows. Initially it was just me, I was later joined by Kerry, Kevin, and Denny after the discovery of the Red-shouldered Hawk.
47 species (+2 other taxa)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 11
Mallard (Northern) (Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos/conboschas) 15
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) 1
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) 38
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 4
Great Blue Heron (Blue form) (Ardea herodias [herodias Group]) 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 1
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) 2
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1 !!!! Second county record! Seen briefly, noticed a small buteo chasing a young Red-tailed Hawk. Noticed smaller size, almost accipiter-like flight style, with broad white primary windows. Appeared to be reddish/orange below. At this point I suspected Red-shouldered Hawk but didn't think I had seen enough to call it. About 5 minutes later I heard a very loud "kee-yur! kee-yur! kee-yur!" call, diagnostic of Red-shouldered Hawk, from the largest deciduous tree in the area (might be a Black Locust?) which clinched the ID. The bird preceded to call for about 5 minutes, allowing me to take a good recording. The bird has since moved to the riparian forest on the southeast side of the bridge, viewable from the road. Kevin has seen and heard the bird occasionally from that area, I think he may have some poor photos. The habitat in this area is very similar to the habitat in which I've found this species in Oregon and California. Hopefully others will see this bird and get some photos!
Red-tailed Hawk (calurus/alascensis) (Buteo jamaicensis calurus/alascensis) 3
American Coot (Fulica americana) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 4
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) 3
shorebird sp. (Charadriiformes sp.) 2 With GRYE in flight, never called. Ph; will look at.
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 2
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 2
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 10
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 1
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) 35
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) 2 Getting late!
Barn Swallow (American) (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster) 25
swallow sp. (Hirundinidae sp.) 3
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1 Calling
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) 5
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2
Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) 1 ! Ph. Relatively uncommon/rare migrant.
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 20
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) 4
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 10
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 3
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata) 16
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) 1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 3
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) (Setophaga coronata auduboni) 3
Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) (Junco hyemalis [oreganus Group]) 3
White-crowned Sparrow (Gambel's) (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) 65
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) 1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 2
Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 4
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 1
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 115
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) 3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 12
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 8

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39054412 <http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39054412>

Good birding,

Eric Heisey