2/28/06
Urban Assault
Crazy! There have been a couple sightings of hawks in built-up areas of the district today (see below) and lil old me just happened to be a part of it. I got off the Potomac Metro stop (I usually get off at Eastern Market but today I was going to the Safeway on 14th SE) and started walking up 14th. Right before the intersection of 14th and E SE I happened to look up in a tree and see a meduim sized hawk on a branch. The light was bad, but I could tell right away by its greyish and erect posture that it was either a Peregrine, a Coopers or a Sharp-Shinned. Nice. I watched it for about 2 minutes, walking directly below it, and when it flew off toward 15th I saw a clearly rounded tail, indicating a Cooper's Hawk. It was pretty nice, until then the coolest bird I've seen on 14th is that lime green Thunderbird with black tinted windows bumping JayZ. God what a lame joke.
District PatrolPreying on the Rat Race
An immature
Red-Shouldered Hawk has been seen on various buildings in downtown Bethesda, MD.
Short Eared Owls
Crenshaw Rd., Rectortown, Fauquier Co. VA (1hr 15 from DC). 5 or 6 Short Eared Owls were seen flying and barking in a field about 1/2 mile north of the town center.
Early Arrivals...
An Osprey, Brown Thrasher, 30 Wilson's Snipe and a Palm Warbler were highlights of an early Tuesday morning trip to the Henricus Historical Park in Chester, VA (2.5 hr from DC).
