Peregrine falcon spotted by its mess (1 Viewer)

[crazyfingers]

I was making a nostalgia visit to my old University, UMass Amherst, last week and saw a very large white splotch on the library tower. Looking more closely there was a peregrine falcon on a post at the very top window of the mess.

Based on the mess, I guess the falcon likes this spot.





I was pretty far away. This is where I took the photos. (Canon SX70)



It hung around a while and then left. Not a good photo but my first of a flying falcon

 

[crazyfingers]

Apparently there is a nest box and webcam. Falcons have nested here since 1988 - 2 years after I left the area.

The nest box is on the other side of the tower. Now I wish that I have taken a closer photo of the roof from that side.

Falcon Cam

www.library.umass.edu

 

[Gdavis248]

Very cool but wow what a mess! I'm glad the university has allowed the falcon to stay and hasn't run it off due to the mess it's made/making.

 

[vergan]

I've seen there a few times when visiting (I work there, but remotely). Also around a large bridge just before Northampton.

 

[Patudo]

Wow - you can see how the falconers' term "hawk chalk" came about! (or more poetically the French term "horse's tail"). One would have thought winter storms etc would remove much of it, though?

 

[crazyfingers]

I've seen there a few times when visiting (I work there, but remotely). Also around a large bridge just before Northampton.

Cool. Would that the the bridge over the Connecticut river?

I'm guessing that the falcon is why there are a lot fewer mallards at the campus pond than there used to be. I don't know if a falcon would attack a grown mallard but chicks and eggs would be good eating.

 

[vergan]

Cool. Would that the the bridge over the Connecticut river?

I'm guessing that the falcon is why there are a lot fewer mallards at the campus pond than there used to be. I don't know if a falcon would attack a grown mallard but chicks and eggs would be good eating.

Hi, yes, that bridge. He can go for mallards, but maybe also there maybe more feral pigeons too? I cannot see a peregrine predating a nest (but I know they rarely may go fishing)

 

[crazyfingers]

Hi, yes, that bridge. He can go for mallards, but maybe also there maybe more feral pigeons too? I cannot see a peregrine predating a nest (but I know they rarely may go fishing)

I've never seen a pigeon there. Of course I'm not there a lot. I was there from 1980 to 1986 and there were probably at least 150 ducks on the pond. Then probably 10 drives out in the last 37 years including the 3 day trip just recently. Never a pigeon but there used to be lots and lots of mallards but not at the moment. The Canadian geese outnumber mallards 5 to 1 at the moment.

Anyway, without talking to the people who are paying attention to the falcon it's all speculation.

I am planning another 3 day visit for October.

1985 yearbook photo

 

[Patudo]

A mallard is too heavy to be carried any distance - resident peregrines need to bring prey back to their nest site and often must avoid would-be robbers (large gulls, crows, other raptors) so cannot be too lumbered. Here in London it's rare to see anything larger than a black-headed gull (probably about the size of a Franklin's gull) being brought in, and the tiercels mainly bring in pigeons or smaller prey. On Sunday I saw the resident tiercel near me catch and bring in a small passerine and later a pigeon - he's certainly keeping his mate well fed!

 

[crazyfingers]

A mallard is too heavy to be carried any distance - resident peregrines need to bring prey back to their nest site and often must avoid would-be robbers (large gulls, crows, other raptors) so cannot be too lumbered. Here in London it's rare to see anything larger than a black-headed gull (probably about the size of a Franklin's gull) being brought in, and the tiercels mainly bring in pigeons or smaller prey. On Sunday I saw the resident tiercel near me catch and bring in a small passerine and later a pigeon - he's certainly keeping his mate well fed!

I would also have thought that an adult mallard might be too big also. But in All-about-birds they note peregrines go after ducks and other good size critters. Perhaps chicks and juveniles?

"They have been observed killing birds as large as a Sandhill Crane, as small as a hummingbird, and as elusive as a White-throated Swift. Typical prey include shorebirds, ptarmigan, ducks, grebes, gulls, storm-petrels, pigeons, and songbirds including jays, thrushes, longspurs, buntings, larks, waxwings, and starlings. Peregrine Falcons also eat substantial numbers of bats. They occasionally pirate prey, including fish and rodents, from other raptors."

Peregrine Falcon Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop. They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine...

www.allaboutbirds.org

 

[Mikbul]

Here's a shot I took at Vroomans Nose in Middleburg NY with a Canon 40D and 400mm f/4 canon lens. She was zooming by the cliff keeping an eye on me and her two chicks in the nest, Big Blue and Little Blue.

15.jpg

Peregrine falcon "Broken feather"

www.birdforum.net

 

[Mikbul]

Here she is near the nest.

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine falcon "Broken Feather" (Female)

www.birdforum.net

 

[Mikbul]

Here's her two chicks, Big blue and Little Blue.

Peregrines

Two young Peregrine Falcons (Big blue & little blue)

www.birdforum.net

 

[Patudo]

Lovely shots. The youngsters look like they're still fairly new to the whole flying thing. If so, this is pretty much the best time to see the parents hunting, as they'll be tighter to the nest area than later on. The pairs I follow that have had young are staying well away from the nest sites for the most part, not wanting to be chased by screaming juveniles.

 

[Mikbul]

Lovely shots. The youngsters look like they're still fairly new to the whole flying thing. If so, this is pretty much the best time to see the parents hunting, as they'll be tighter to the nest area than later on. The pairs I follow that have had young are staying well away from the nest sites for the most part, not wanting to be chased by screaming juveniles.

I have photos of Her bringing them food, and little Blue eating.

 

[Patudo]

If you're into photography, you'll probably have opportunities to see aerial food-passes very soon, if not already. I've seen this many a time, seldom close enough to photograph, but it looks as though you are pretty close. Here is a great photo from South London photographer David Element capturing the moment before an adult passes a kill (ring-necked parakeet) to a juvenile:

 

[etudiant]

I would also have thought that an adult mallard might be too big also. But in All-about-birds they note peregrines go after ducks and other good size critters. Perhaps chicks and juveniles?

"They have been observed killing birds as large as a Sandhill Crane, as small as a hummingbird, and as elusive as a White-throated Swift. Typical prey include shorebirds, ptarmigan, ducks, grebes, gulls, storm-petrels, pigeons, and songbirds including jays, thrushes, longspurs, buntings, larks, waxwings, and starlings. Peregrine Falcons also eat substantial numbers of bats. They occasionally pirate prey, including fish and rodents, from other raptors."

Peregrine Falcon Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop. They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine...

www.allaboutbirds.org

The colloquial name here for the Peregrine is Duck Hawk, presumably for good reason.

 

[Mikbul]

Here's some Peregrine photos, most are Little Blue eating a bird. Two of the adult female (I named Broken feather) bringing the meal to the nest. All taken with a Canon 40D and Canon 400 L lens.

 

[mayoayo]

I would also have thought that an adult mallard might be too big also. But in All-about-birds they note peregrines go after ducks and other good size critters. Perhaps chicks and juveniles?

"They have been observed killing birds as large as a Sandhill Crane, as small as a hummingbird, and as elusive as a White-throated Swift. Typical prey include shorebirds, ptarmigan, ducks, grebes, gulls, storm-petrels, pigeons, and songbirds including jays, thrushes, longspurs, buntings, larks, waxwings, and starlings. Peregrine Falcons also eat substantial numbers of bats. They occasionally pirate prey, including fish and rodents, from other raptors."

Peregrine Falcon Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop. They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine...

www.allaboutbirds.org

In theory a female could go even after goose,but one thing is to kill it another to carry it.I suposse they would eat as much as possible in the spot and leave the remainings.Last Year I saw the LARGE resident female in my town carrying a large Wood Pigeon and that seemed already a lot for the bird,flapping like crazy and slowly gaining height,but not without effort.Her main diet here are rock pigeons and Argentinian parrot

 

[Mikbul]

Stats from 2015:
Photo hand held top of cliff 400' above valley floor (falcon above eye level)
Date taken, 6/20/2015
Canon EOS 40D
400mm f/5.6 L
aperture f/8
shutter priority 1.2500s
matrix metering

15.jpg

Peregrine falcon "Broken feather"

www.birdforum.net