<div dir="ltr"><div>I read Mark's Predator vs. Prey analysis with interest & enjoyment. Here are a couple of observations I have made over about 60 years of birding.</div><div><br></div><div>1. Merlin vs. Mourning Dove</div><div>This was observed in a residential area SE of Portland In the distance I observed two birds approaching fast, about 50 feet in the air, one behind the other. As they got closer the lead bird was seen to be a Mourning Dove, and the pursuer, a Merlin. It appeared neck and neck with the Merlin keeping up but not gaining in all-out flight. When they were adjacent to me the Mourning Dove dove into a large, dense pine, 50 feet up. The Merlin, chagrinned, started madly circling the pine, looking for an opening. After several circles the Mourning Dove, sensing an opportunity, headed on through the sky while the Merlin was on the 'wrong' side of the tree. Not discouraged, the Merlin rounded the tree in pursuit. They both disappeared out of sight, 50 and then 100 feet in the air. (This was on the side of a hill). Clearly an endurance race, outcome unknown. But, like the dog that caught the car, what would the Merlin do if successful? They are approximately the same size. <br></div><div>.2. Peregrine vs. Rock Pigeon</div><div>This was at the (formerly?) famous Nehalem Sewage ponds. As I was birding, a Peregrine casually flew in at about 100 feet, circling the shorebird-laden ponds. Two Caspian Terns immediately went up from the ponds and, screaming, ran it out of the area. 30 minutes later, as I was driving down the country road back to Hwy 101, I observed (as in #1) two birds flying at high speed towards me. As they approached I saw that the lead bird was a Rock Pigeon and the pursuer, the Peregrine. We were on a collision course. It appeared my car would collide with one or both. I started braking, the two birds did not. As I came to a stop the Rock Pigeon flashed in front the windshield, crashing at 50-60 mph into the large, wlld, blackberry hedge that lined the road. The peregrine swerved upward, immediately disappearing. I got out of my now stationary car and photographed (sort of) the pigeon deep inside the blackberries. It wasn't coming out for anything.</div><div><br></div><div>I've had the pleasure of observing many such interactions over many years, but these seemed most pertinent to the current discussion.</div><div><br></div><div>Actually, here is another, this time not involving prey (directly), but Peregrine speed.</div><div><br></div><div>A few years ago, on one of the Princess Cruise 'birding' trips from<br>Vancouver BC to Los Angeles, the seabirds were pretty sparse. This was<br>made up for, to an extent, by a Peregrine Falcon that came aboard 60 miles<br>off Santa Barbara and stayed on the ship for the rest of the day,<br>occasionally flying out of sight and returning with a storm petrel that it<br>consumed on the ship. Easy pickin's I'd say. </div><div>The falcon would perch on the upper deck, about 50' above the water,</div><div>and this is where I observed it. This wasn't any old Peregrine. First, it wasn't<br>old, it was a first-year bird, a male, not much larger than a Kestrel.</div><div>And it wasn't 'any' Peregrine -- it was of the Tundra Race (
Falco peregrinus tundrius ) </div><div>a race very rarely seen on the NW Coast, but the one occasionally seen around the world, far<br>offshore, miles from land. For a while, I spent more time on this 'land' bird than on<br>the seabirds. And it was worthwhile.<br>Now since I was a kid I've heard of their putative 200mph dive. I know<br>they are fast and powerful but I have always been skeptical of that<br>figure. Especially since it has been so frequently quoted long before<br>there were accurate methods of determination. But, of course this applies to a dive,</div><div>not level flight, I assume. I'm no longer skeptical of that speed..<br>After watching it coming, going, & perched for an hour or so, it casually took off, flew upwards to<br>200-300 feet, turned and dove straight down. It was incredibly fast. I<br>thought it was going to submerge but no; barely above the sea surface it<br>planed out and did it again. 3 or 4 times. I came out of shock and managed<br>to get a photo of it at the bottom of the vertical dive, just as it was<br>turning. See below. (I was 50' above the water myself, on the top deck).</div><div>I'm sure there were no prey-petrels at the bottom of<br>the stoop, not any other sea bird. Just practicing I guess. Or trying to<br>teach me a lesson, in which it was successful.<br></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.freelists.org/archives/obol/12-2019/jpggzZvwkaCmP.jpg">https://www.freelists.org/archives/obol/12-2019/jpggzZvwkaCmP.jpg</a><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bob OBrien Portland</div><div>P.S. The easy and permanent availability of this photo(s), sent several years ago to OBOL, and now in the archives, illustrates the advantages of allowing 1 (or more?) photos to be appended to a Tweeters Tweet.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, May 26, 2022 at 4:55 PM Mark Borden <<a href="mailto:markbordenmd@gmail.com" target="_blank">markbordenmd@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">I’m glad you read my posting Larry!<div><br></div><div>Many people feel that the birds of prey are these powerful omnipotent undefeatable creatures. Far fewer realize that there is a very close balance between the aerial predators and their aerial prey.</div><div><br></div><div>There are very few birds that cannot outfly every Raptor in a fair chase. Those that are slower, such as the English sparrow and coot stay close to cover and can avoid their predators by seeking shelter.</div><div><br></div><div>As I was telling Rachel, I release my racing homers twice per day here on Whidbey. Depending upon the time of year they deal with many predators, and yet in 17 years I have only lost eight birds to predation. They are faster than any falcon, as are wild rock doves, they are also faster than any species of hawk, and can only be caught by a hawk that has attained an advantage through tactics.</div><div><br></div><div>Robins, blackbirds, mourning doves and collared Doves (and other similar sized birds) are even faster and dodge better, and can only be caught in very rare circumstances.</div><div><br></div><div>About 10 years ago a wild mature female Cooper’s Hawk discovered that by coming upon my dove loft at full speed she could catch a racer before it could get up to speed. She was not, however, large enough to carry away a dove, so I saved many by being there and scaring her off. </div><div><br></div><div>Once she realized I was part of the equation she left and never returned. They are a secretive species and do not like to be exposed.</div><div><br></div><div>In 17 years I have had hundreds of episodes with peregrines. Many of the flights have been very spectacular but in 17 years I’ve only lost one dove to a peregrine.</div><div><br></div><div>Mark</div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On May 26, 2022, at 4:34 PM, Larry Schwitters <<a href="mailto:leschwitters@me.com" target="_blank">leschwitters@me.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div>Tweeters and Mark,</div><div><br></div><div>I found your statement "<font color="#0433ff">my licensing fees alone accumulated would fund an entire wildlife conservation program.” </font>d<span>ifficult to believe.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div>Washington State Fish and Wild at <a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-01/requirements.pdf" target="_blank">https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-01/requirements.pdf</a> says<font color="#0433ff"> "Permit Fee: At this time there is no permit fee. Legislature may consider a direct fee to the
Department at a later date.<span>”</span></font></div><div><font color="#0433ff"><br></font></div><div>Did I look in the wrong place?</div><div><br></div><div>Larry Schwitters</div><div>Issaquah</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On May 26, 2022, at 1:50 PM, Mark Borden <<a href="mailto:markbordenmd@gmail.com" target="_blank">markbordenmd@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br><div><div>I will preface this statement by reminding you that I am a Falconer.<br><br>Testing requirements, license fees, and facilities construction and maintenance make Falconry a challenging sport. It is a sport to which one must be dedicated 365 days a year.<br><br>As a master Falconer of over 40 years, my licensing fees alone accumulated would fund an entire wildlife conservation program.<br><br>Birders should be aware, that Falconry is the least efficient method of hunting. Whereas a (gun) Hunter can sometimes return with a limit, a single duck captured is considered an excellent day for a Falconer. Most Falconer‘s are lucky to catch a few ducks in an entire season. Almost every winged species that is pursued by a trained bird of prey, is faster than that bird of prey in almost every circumstance.<br><br>Several years ago I spoke to the wildlife officer in charge of the Okanogan region of Washington. At the time I was endeavoring to capture a wild Turkey with a trained great horned owl. Eleven years of pursuing that goal and I have still not found success. He was particularly concerned that I might accidentally capture a Sharp Tailed Grouse. I reassured him that I would have a better chance of winning the lottery without purchasing a ticket, than of capturing a Sharp Tailed Grouse with my owl. Only a handful of Falconer’s with the most highly trained and fittest Falcons, and the best pointing dogs, ever manage to catch a grouse. <br><br>The Houbara Bustard is a challenging quarry, and thus is treasured by the Falconer’s of Saudi Arabia. A brief Google search will reveal that programs are in place to protect and restore the bustard, and that as in our own country, those programs are funded mainly by hunters and Falconer‘s. It is far more likely that a Falconer seeing the report would attempt to observe the bustard than to capture it.<br><br>Falconry is considered by many to be “the ultimate birdwatching.“ Even the casual birder will experience an occasional thrilling moment when he/ she hears an alarm call, and sees a bird of prey attempt to capture a prey species. As Falconer‘s we are privileged to hear those alarm calls, and witness the birds of prey in an intimate association. Many Falconer’s try for years before capturing their first prey with a trained Raptor. Along the way most will learn to identify many birds, spend thousands of hours observing them in their natural settings, and develop a deep love for the birds and the places that they inhabit.<br><br>Falconers should be considered a resource for the birding community. Remember the recovery of the Peregrine? Falconer’s were responsible.<br><br>If there are birders on this list that are interested in learning more about Falconry, I would be glad to talk with them. The Washington Falconer’s Association has several annual field meets at which you would be welcome. At these meets you will see many trained raptors pursue game, but let me warn you ahead of time that you will see very few game animals captured!<br><br>Mark Borden<br>Coupeville, WA.<br>360-632-7484<br><br><br>Sent from my iPhone<br>_______________________________________________<br>Tweeters mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Tweeters@u.washington.edu" target="_blank">Tweeters@u.washington.edu</a><br><a href="http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters" target="_blank">http://mailman11.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters</a><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></blockquote></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
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