Re: An Appeal

[Merrill Webb <merrill_webb at yahoo dot com>]

In response to Kristin's "appeal" I am going to
respond with an event I witnessed today.
I was out looking for Goshawks as part of my
assignment this summer as a seasonal employee for the
U.S. Forest Service.  I was driving along the highway
when all of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I saw
a raptor dive on and strike something in the air.  I
pulled off the road,quickly undid my seat belt,
grabbed my binculars, and exited the car in time to
see a Peregrine Falcon settle on its prey item not far
from the side of the highway.  It took off with it and
was gaining altitude when all of a sudden it descended
and flew rapidly just above the level of the
sagebrush.  Another raptor entered my field of vision
from the right and dived on the Peregrine.  I was
amazed!  I didn't think anything would harass that
kind of hawk.  The falcon dropped its prey item
(couldn't identify it from my location), and flew
rapidly upward and away.  The hawk that forced it down
was a Swainson's Hawk.  While it was driving the
falcon away a Redtail Hawk flew in and made off with
the dropped prey item.  
Guess the moral of the story (and there could be many)
is that the race isn't always to the most swift, but
to the opportunist.  I haven't mentioned the location
because the Peregrine was obviously trying to carry
something to a nestmate or to young in a nest.  Found
no Goshawk, but did find a Swainson's Hawk and a
Redtail Hawk utilizing historical Goshawk nests.
Merrill Webb
--- Kristin Purdy <kristinpurdy@comcast.net> wrote:

> Birders,
> 
> Please consider reporting your sightings more
> frequently on
> birdtalk/birdnet.  I'm amazed that during what's
> possibly the best time
> of year to bird, so few reports come across the
> listservs.  You don't
> have to be a blabbermouth like me to report what
> you're seeing--a simple
> list that includes what, where, when and how to get
> back there, if
> appropriate, would fill the needs of most people.
> 
> I learn a lot from what others report and I'm
> particularly interested in
> the range, distribution, and habitat of Utah birds. 
> So please help me
> learn!  Thanks.
> 
> Kris
> 
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