[birding] Imm. Rough-legged Hawk in Soap Creek Valley

[Joel Geier]

Hi folks,

A couple of weeks ago Peter & Judy List mentioned seeing a distant hawk
that seemed like a possible Rough-legged Hawk on the OSU Soap Creek Beef
Ranch pastures in Soap Creek Valley. There have been a bunch of
Red-tailed Hawks using this pasture since October or so -- must be a lot
of voles out there!

Yesterday while driving home from dropping off Wil at Crescent Valley
H.S., I finally got a decent look at what must be the same bird that
Peter & Judy mentioned. It looks like an immature ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.

The local ELK herd has also been out in these pastures of late -- looks
like 70 or 80 though I haven't tried to count them. A COYOTE was also
mousing yesterday, and occasionally I've been seeing BOBCATS out there.

Off & on over recent months, we're still hearing what seems to be a
COUGAR along the forested ridge behind our place, but happily it seems
to be keeping away from the residences. It does add some interest to
going out to call for owls in dark (none heard last night, except a
distant Great Horned Owl).

Happy birding,
Joel

--
Joel Geier
Camp Adair area north of Corvallis