[Norvegica]

Fort Lewis (near Tacoma) Washington state, USA

I had reason to go to Fort Lewis' Commissary today. I picked up chicken and pasta sauce.

After finishing my shopping, I got to the car and pulled out of my spot.

Right then, the crows all started yammering loudly enough for me to hear through the windows.

I saw a large dark moving mass at the corner of my eye and when I turned my head, I saw all of the Brewer's Blackbirds that habitually hang around the Commissary parking lot packed TIGHT together in a defensive flock ball, swerving, dipping and rising.

I had never seen such a thing; they were wingtip to wingtip and any mistake could cause collision.

And then.

I saw it. I saw a raptor diving at the ball of blackbirds and rising up again, attempting to gain enough elevation to focus on one individual. The crows were screaming bloody murder at the predator.

The flock ball took sudden landing on a parked SUV and lost cohesion. The raptor took one last dive and shot overhead, and behind a row of parked cars. Said row blocked my view.

I saw a blackbird in its clutches as it came in for a landing on a strip of grass that bordered the parking lot. I tried to drive to a better angle (luckily there wasn't anybody behind me in that particular parking row) to see.

Five crows took that opportunity to harass the raptor and it took off, with the crows zooming after it.

I thought it was rather funny to realize that the gulls (Herring? Most likely) that perched on top of the parking lot lights weren't even moved during the whole ordeal.

I noticed that the raptor was brown, mostly. I did see some underside when it wheeled around and it was mottled.

The wings were pointy and narrow, as was the tail.

And it was not much larger than the crows. In fact, I'd venture that the gulls were larger.

Since I didn't see at all the head of the raptor and given the size, it could've been a Merlin or female American Kestrel. Definitely from the falcon family, though.

This was super exciting and I was just grocery shopping!

[fugl]

If it was bigger than a crow, it couldn’t have been a Merlin or American Kestrel but must have been one of the larger falcons--Prairie Falcon or Peregrine. And American Kestrel can probably be ruled out in any case, since it normally neither hunts in the way you describe nor inspires that kind of panic among potential prey species.

[KCFoggin]

Quite a food shopping trip

Watching nature in action like this is always a big turn on and makes me realize any pet peeves are quite insignificant in the scope of things.

A delightful read.

[Elk River Rancher]

Here in Elkton, Maryland, it's the Cooper's that matches the behaviour and size description, Norvegica. The sharp shinned, too - a bit smaller than the Cooper's, but similar hunting styles. I watched a Cooper's take down a grackle, about a month ago. The Cooper's most definitely brings out the alarm birds - the crows and the jays will all announce the arrival of the Cooper's, when it visits here looking for breakfast.