Tonight, while out walking on the Katy Trail, I inadvertently flushed a
subadult Ferruginous Hawk from a tree. This was located Near 7979 State
Route 94, about 2 miles ENE of Mokane adjacent to "Hwy 94".
These Light phase birds show typical broad translucent windows in the wings
and are often extremely white below. This individuals' head was also very
light. The tail pattern was also very pale with little depth to the
subterminal band.
While there is no formal designation to a "second year" FEHA, in my years
living in Montana, I certainly encountered birds in this "retained stage"
on a regular basis. Ferruginous are long-lived and hold nesting sites for
years. So It seems -logical that there is some kind of intermediate phase,
until full plumage is attained.
Earlier in the day. nearer to the airport on Mokane rd there were several
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, but i missed the reported Swainson's in that
area.
After I lost the bird in the Auxvasse/ Mokane bottom I extended my search
further east in the direction I had last seen it going. Crossing Auxvasse
creek - this is the Steedman Bottom. I traveled all the gravel roads out
there.
I did not relocate the Ferruginous. However, near 4.0 miles east of the
area of sighting was a field actively being plowed by farmers. In that
field, sitting on the ground, were 2 sub-adult Swainson's Hawks! I was able
to get some distant footage of both of those birds.
With a possible 5 Swainson's Hawks (more?) , and this Ferruginous Hawk all
in the same county, - What Else is out there? These birds will NOT migrate
tonight.
AS I was driving the bottom land roads, Large numbers of Savannah Sparrows
are still moving through, Horned Larks are on nests, and Lark Sparrows are
fighting over territory.
ONE lone Greater yellowlegs proclaimed his upset over my intrusions. Must
be because there is no real water left in the fields. He was unable to
distinguish that I was a human who would gladly reconvert many bottomlands
back to shallow pools and marsh.
Tim B.
MOkane, MO (and Choteau, MT) 😊
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