ML259365851
Contributeur
Date
Site d'observation
- Âge
- Non précisé
- Sexe
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Détails de l'observation
Found a banded Peregrine (right leg green tag with what looks like an etched "6" and then left leg with black tag on top with "93" and green tag below "BM") perched on the security fence that extends toward Gravely Point along the Potomac. I took a few pictures and then rowed on towards Gravely Point. About 10 minutes later I passed through same area, on my way back to starting point, and it flew out from the airport and a bit out over the Potomac with a prey item in its talons. I hope not to be too graphic but wanted to relay on the details as the impression I got was that this may be a younger Peregrine (seemed smaller and it didn't have a full head of black) and may not be an experienced hunter. It was still tussling with the Mourning Dove, in flight, and feathers were flying. The Mourning Dove had somehow either managed to free itself or the PEFA just completely lost its grip as the dove then fell to the Potomac below. I was only about 30 yards away but didn't interfere. The Mourning Dove was about 30 feet from shore and the Peregrine was absolutely flummoxed as it hovered and screeched at it. It made at least 5 or 6 circular passes combined with dives at the Dove but like a cat, it just did not want to touch the water. The dove, for its part, seemed to make itself as flat as possible on the surface (although this may have been a result of its injuries from the attack) but as the PEFA would get close with its talons it would muster up the energy to start fighting back with flapping wings. After about 5 minutes of this back and forth activity, the PEFA decided to fly to the security fence and perch itself to wait the dove out. Eventually the tide pushed the dove ashore. It then started to waddle along the pebbled bank and slowly head towards the shrubbery that was about 10 feet away. The PEFA left its perch and made a final dive to it on the ground — the dove was able to initially miss the plunging talons and briefly flutter out of the danger but the PEFA had done enough damage. It flew off back into the airport on just the other side of the fence with its prey. As I was finishing my row past Reagan Airport, another PEFA flew out and attempted to pursue a younger Caspian Tern that was flying with an adult. It was a fast and darting dogfight but the PEFA didn't make any contact and the adult Caspian imposed enough of its will to make the PEFA back off. It was hard to tell how serious a charge the PEFA was mounting or if it was just training its attack ability. I've included a photo of that PEFA as well and it does not have any banding. UPDATE SEPT. 4, 2020: I had shared my observations with Donald Sweig because he has a few contacts with PEFA banders. He has informed me that he found out that this PEFA was banded on 21 May 2020 at Reston Town Center, VA. I've also updated my own personal photography site with additional pictures (90 of them that can be clicked through), from this particular banded PEFA on day of sighting, starting with this one: https://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Peregrine-Falcons/i-BDvLMcS/A
Informations techniques
- Modèle
- Canon EOS 80D
- Lentille
- EF200mm f/2.8L II USM
- ISO
- 320
- Longueur focale
- 200 mm
- Flash
- Flash did not fire
- f-stop
- f/7.1
- Vitesse d'obturation
- 1/3200 sec
- Dimensions
- 6000 pixels x 3375 pixels
- Taille originale du fichier
- 1.98 MB