Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2001 12:27:40 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Hilton, Rob" Subject: Bethesda, Md. Raptor report, Dec. 6 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-2" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I happened to notice a Peregrine Falcon fly toward my office building and was able to watch it land at about 11:00 or so this morning. When I put my binoculars on it appeared to be small: short in length and delicate in build compared to the big Peregrine that strafed the building yesterday. If anything it appeared to be even smaller and lighter than the small bird that landed on the building on Nov. 12; in comparison to my memory (and archived description) of that bird the wings were definitely blue (not brown). The head pattern seemed a little different too. After about three minutes it took off, flew over the building Lisa Shannon works in, then landed on the building where the Canada Geese have nested. =20 Since November 1 this year I have observed at least two and likely three blue-backed Peregrine Falcons: one large and probably two different small birds. Also at least one and possibly two brown-backed birds on Nov. 20, the day I saw the two at once (one of those birds might have had brown wings and a blue back, but I wasn't sure). So at least three recognizeably different Peregrine Falcons. =20 As I was writing this a ball of starlings caught my attention. When I put my binoculars on it I spied a Cooper's Hawk in the distance. =20 And as I was writing the above sentence a Peregrine Falcon with a blue back and a bulging crop flew past my window! =20 Lunch beckons me. =20 Rob Hilton rhilton@csa.com Bethesda, Md.=20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================