Re: Peregrine Falcon on the Mall, Nov 13
Hutch&Maret Hutchinson (coolspring@hotmail.com)
Tue, 24 Nov 1998 19:13:56 PST
Jim, et al.: I was sitting facing the large window in my boss's office
on the East end of the 8th floor of the FAA building at 7th and
Independence Avenue on Monday morning when a VERY fast hawk of some kind
stooped straight down about 5 feet outside the window. It happened so
fast that all I could say is that it was a small to medium sized
brownish bird but my immediate impression was, "peregrine!" It might
very well have been the bird you and some others saw. I'll keep an eye
out. Hutch
Carl Hutchinson
Adelphi, MD
Coolspring@hotmail.com
>From owner-mdosprey@ari.net Mon Nov 16 07:00:34 1998
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>Date: Mon, 16 Nov 98 09:44:06 EST
>From: Jim Felley <IRMSS668@SIVM.SI.EDU>
>Subject: Peregrine Falcon on the Mall, Nov 13
>To: <mdosprey@ARI.Net>
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>
>I saw an immature Peregrine Falcon on the Mall opposite the
>National Museum of American History on Friday afternoon,
>November 13. As I was walking to the metro, all the starlings,
>pigeons and gulls in the area came up in a big rush. While
>this can happen for various reasons (kids throwing popcorn
>further down the mall, a jet taking off), there were a couple
>of clues to the presence of a hawk: (1) the pigeons were all
>trying to get under the nearest trees, (2) the gulls were heading
>off the mall (1 and 2 eliminate kids with food), and (3) (the
>unambiguous indicator) a flock of starlings formed up into a
>tight "fighter wing" ball. This behavior means that the hawk is
>nearby, and often the fighter wing will go after it!
> Sure enough, an immature peregrine dove at the flock but
>couldn't break it up. After the falcon passed the starlings they
>began following it, the flock and the falcon each trying to
>gain altitude on the other.
> These maneuvers took took the group towards the Natural
>History Museum. The falcon apparently decided it had
>had enough fun. It powered off and the starlings returned to
>their trees. I had a good opportunity to inspect the falcon.
>It was more than double the size of a starling, brownish overall
>and streaked with brown underneath, which leads me to the ID of
>Peregrine Falcon, immature. Note that a couple of weeks ago there
>was another report of a Peregrine on Mall, being mobbed by crows.
>I'll keep my eyes open for more.
>
> Jim
>
> Jim Felley
> Smithsonian Institution
> irmss668@sivm.si.edu
>
>
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