On 12 September 2001, I was driving south along the Glenwood-BZ Highway which bisects the Conboy Lake NWR. I had just crossed Bird Creek when a hawk flew from the west to east side of the road as I passed. The birds flight pattern/profile and general habitat preference caught my attention, as it suggested something other than the typical red-tailed hawk.
I stopped the vehicle, walked back up the road and observed the hawk perched on a pine tree branch in the shade. I observed it with 10 x Swarovski binoculars. It was about 30 meters off the road with its back/flanks to me. The bird was sitting with beak a gape, as it was quite hot and sunny that day. The yellow cere was discernible.
The bird's tail showed the characteristic black and white banding and was quite vivid, suggesting the bird was in a fresh plumage. The black and white speckling pattern on the flight feathers was also very obvious and bright. The red shoulder patch was also vivid and very obvious, contrasting nicely with the black/white flight feather pattern. I recall thinking that I hadn't observed other western red-shouldered hawks with such an obvious red shoulder before. The birds rufous leg feathers were also quite visible at the view that I had. Unlike most RSHA that I have encountered at Ridgefield and elsewhere, this bird seemed less spooky than most - possibly because of the hot temperatures, it was unwilling to fly.
I left the area once then returned in about ten minutes, the bird was still perched in the same spot. I returned about half an hour later with the thought of getting a look at the birds breast pattern, if possible, but it had left the immediate area.
In 2000, I observed a red-shouldered hawk on 16 September about 0.5 miles south of this new sighting, as it flew over the road. These two sightings and fall migrant sightings at Bonney Butte suggest that red-shouldered hawks may be breeding in Washington. While this has been suspected by many persons for several years, most 'focus' has been west of the Cascades based on numerous annual sightings at Ridgefield NWR and other areas for at least the last 7 years. These sightings suggest that breeding may be occurring east of the Cascades or these birds may represent non-breeding subadults that dispersed north the previous year - wintering and then summering in WA, before returning southward.
I have considerable experience with red-shouldered hawks, having grown up in the east where they are/once were fairly common. Also I have observed many more while living in California. I have also banded several red-shouldered hawks over the years, including one at Ridgefield in 2000.
Joseph D. Engler
Wildlife Biologist
USFWS, Ridgefield NWR Complex
P.O. Box 457
Ridgefield, WA 98642
phone: 1-360-887-4106
email: joe_engler@r1.fws.gov