Raptors on the Mall
Jim Felley (IRMSS668@SIVM.SI.EDU)
Tue, 5 Jan 99 14:19:14 EST
I spent more than a week off from work, enjoying my backyard
bird feeder. It hosts Slate-colored Juncos, American Goldfinches,
House Sparrows, and the odd Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper's Hawk
thrown in for excitement. Then I returned to read a bunch of
reports of a Northern Goshawk seen right by my workplace!
Needless to say, I have spent odd moments yesterday and today
walking out on the Mall in search of the Goshawk. To no avail, alas.
However, during my afternoon break today (1/5), I saw two bald eagles
soaring high above the Mall between the Castle and the Natural History
Museum. One was an adult, the other most likely an immature, though
both were backlit (I saw the tail and head of one flash in the sun
as it wheeled).
Participants on this list will know and understand what I did
next--I dashed over to the west entrance of the Enid Haupt Garden
and gazed at the eagles from there, so I could include them on my
Enid Haupt list!
Both eagles seemed to be heading north on 12th St, so perhaps
some of the high-rise office workers in that direction got a
look at them too.
Jim
Jim Felley
Smithsonian Institution
irmss668@sivm.si.edu