Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 08:40:41 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Rob (Robert) Hilton" Subject: adult Peregrine over downtown Bethesda Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, A COOPER'S HAWK was hunting over downtown Bethesda, mid afternoon Jan. 10. This morning, Jan. 11, around 8:10-8:15 am I noted a bird flying away that may have been a Peregrine Falcon. About a minute later, two hawks emerged from behind buildings kind of far away (I have no binoculars today). The shapes looked different but might not have been, as they flew one next to the other. One of them landed on a high crane while the other disappeared behind a building. The bird on the crane took off and flew toward and over my office building; it was a COOPER'S HAWK. The other bird flew in to sight, closer to my window. It was a PEREGRINE FALCON. After another minute or so it flew even closer to my building; eventually it flew to within 5 feet of a window ledge on my building (which is the shape of two Ls joined together, so if I look left I can see the perpendicular part of the conjoined Ls)!! It was an ADULT PEREGRINE, I think the first time I have identified an adult here...(certainly with my naked eye). It flew past my 6th story window a few stories higher, but within 30 feet of the building, chasing pigeons. Shortly thereafter I heard a very loud thump. I haven't seen the falcon since, so I don't know whether a pigeon or the falcon hit the building....I hope it wasn't the falcon! Now it is about 8:35 am. Not only have I probably never seen an adult Peregrine from my office window, I have *never* seen birds of two different species at the same time, interacting. Best, Rob Hilton robert@csa.com Bethesda, Md. ================================================================= To unsubscribe send a message to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ================================================================= =========================================================================