Re: [MDOsprey] 10/5 trip to Horsehead & Eastern Neck NWR

J.B. Churchill (jbc@caf.wvu.edu)
Thu, 7 Oct 1999 10:04:03 -0400 (EDT) 

Hi All,
	esp. Scott and Charlie,
	
	
	Although it was a number of years ago now, I too observed this behavior 
at Sandy Point State Park in October of 1986 or maybe 1988.  4 or 5 Blue Jays 
were harrassing a perched Sharp-shin (Adult male) by repeatedly dive bombing the 
bird.  Eventually I watched the Hawk hop off its perch and attempt retaliation 
(coming quite close but missing).  The hawk moved off after that attempt and the 
Blue Jays spread out a bit but stayed in the same general area.
	
	
	J.B. Churchill
	
> X-Authentication-Warning: ari.ari.net: majordom set sender to 
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> Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 09:23:56 -0400
> From: Scott Crabtree <ccrabtre@radium.ncsc.mil>
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> To: mdosprey@ARI.Net
> Subject: Re: [MDOsprey] 10/5 trip to Horsehead & Eastern Neck NWR
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> Greeting;
> 
> We (some Baltimore birders) observed precisely the same behavior last
> Saturday at Cromwell Valley:  at least three Blue Jays mobbing a sharpie
> by flying around and in front of, or hopping "provocatively" in front of
> the hawk.  Eventually the sharpie would give chase, unsuccessfully,
> although it got VERY close on one occasion.  It was performed repeatedly
> and continuously.  Couldn't help but wonder if this was a way for the
> jays to cause the sharpie to expend a lot of energy and build up
> frustration:  either would tend to drive the predator away.  Sort of the
> Corvid version of "Rope-a-dope."
> 
> Scott Crabtree
> Baltimore, MD
> 
> Charlie Muise wrote:
> 
> > Hello
> >
> > As it turned out, I spent the day in Maryland yesterday.
> > Horsehead hosted the normal nice views of captive waterfowl
> > (I find it good practice to watch them for a while before
> > the "real" ones arrive later in fall) as well as a few wild
> > birds:  many Mallards, 6 Black Duck, 2 Blue-winged Teal, 2
> > Gadwall, and a female Pintail.  I didn't locate the one
> > Green-winged Teal that staff told me was present.  Had many
> > raptors all day, including a very entertaining show:
> >
> > A juv SSHA landed in a dead tree, having just failed to
> > catch a flicker.  3 Blue Jays then landed in a thick bush
> > nearby.  One at a time, over a ten minute period, they
> > toook turns flying out, up, and past the sharpie, _just_
> > out of reach.  The poor thing fell for the bait every time,
> > diving out and after the teaser, and just missing, then
> > returning to roost screaming, only to do it again, and
> > again.  I felt sorry for all this loss of energy, but it
> > was funny.
> >
> > Horsehead had nothing notablein the way of waterfowl, but
> > did have 4 terns:  one common, several Forster's, 3
> > Caspian, and a couple dozen Royal.  It was nice to have
> > Forster's and Common side by side for comparison, as well
> > as the other 2.  at my level, its still needed.
> >
> > Lots of warblers, but just a few species:  Pine, Palm,
> > Maggie, Myrtle, Common Yellowthroat and Nashville (great
> > look at 2 beauties gleaning and hawking very actively in an
> > opening in the woods along the entrance road).
> >
> > Had at least 7 eagles for the day, and 3 Merlins.  And can
> > you say Tree Swallow?  about 300 at Horsehead, and maybe
> > 500 at Eastern Neck.  At one point I stopped 3 feet from a
> > Myrtle bush with at least 200 TRSW's in it.  I could hear
> > them through the car window.  I didn't dare open it with
> > som many birds flitting about madly!  I had to drive away
> > very slowly, lest they end up in my grille.
> >
> > Good birding!
> >
> > Charlie
> >
> > =====
> > ******************************
> > Charlie Muise, Naturalist
> > Jug Bay Wetlands sanctuary
> > Next to the Beautiful Chesapeake Bay
> > Maryland, USA
> > cmmbirds@yahoo.com
> > ******************************
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com
> 
> 
> 

                                                       
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