My new best frien...er, Falcon

PSM · 10-17-2008, 22:43

He sits on a limb about 4' outside my window. I think it's a Peregrine but I'm not positive.

Pat

7624U · 10-18-2008, 03:53

Looks like a Kestrel the Peregrine falcon has a hooded head

JJ_BPK · 10-18-2008, 03:58

I think your right,, Peregrine.
The Kestrel has a brown jacket.

And it's a young one.
It hasn't developed the black mask & hat..
Do you have breading Peregrines in the area?
Or maybe a migrating bird, headed South for the Winter?

Very graceful & beautiful birds.
They pass by our rock when migrating.

**Jack Moroney (RIP)** · 10-18-2008, 05:31

Nice shot. Looks more like an immature Sharpie to me as it is missing the characteristic side-burns of the Peregrine.

blue02hd · 10-18-2008, 06:09

I always thought Peregrines were taller, with smaller hands, smell like cabbage? Or am I thinking of the rare and elusive Peregrino??

**Team Sergeant** · 10-18-2008, 08:52

Merlin, or Sharp Shinned Hawk....

**Pete** · 10-18-2008, 09:20

Ok folks, if you want to know what "The Look" is take another look at the Hawk.

He's giving "The Look" of "If you stick your finger out the window I'm going to rip it clear off up to the shoulder."

PSM · 10-18-2008, 09:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

Do you have breading Peregrines in the area?

There are Peregrines nearby on the Palos Verde Peninsula.

Below is a shot of my buddy from last year. He was sitting on the fence and I got with in 3' or so while I was cleaning and filling the hot tub. He just watched patiently for about 15 minutes. I went upstairs to take a picture of him and he took off just as I shot. Shy I guess.

Pat

greenberetTFS · 10-18-2008, 09:47

Don't know what it is,but it sure is a beautiful shot......

PSM · 10-18-2008, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Don't know what it is,but it sure is a beautiful shot......

Thanks. I was just lucky. I've been trying to get a good shot of them for the last 3 years and this guy (in the first post) is the only one that cooperated.

Pat

**Team Sergeant** · 10-18-2008, 09:58

Looks like it could also be a Coopers Hawk. Do you have bird feeders or neighbors have them?

Look at some of the last photos on this link, look at the eye color.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DG

**Team Sergeant** · 10-18-2008, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM

He sits on a limb about 4' outside my window. I think it's a Peregrine but I'm not positive.

Pat

Peregrine Falcon, look at this photo his eyes are black, you cannot mistake the "hood" and the lines on his chest flow in a horizontal pattern:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...chBox%26sa%3DN

PSM · 10-18-2008, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Looks like it could also be a Coopers Hawk. Do you have bird feeders or neighbors have them?

Look at some of the last photos on this link, look at the eye color.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3Den%26sa%3DG

That looks dead on, TS. In flight, though, they have pointed wingtips instead of the feathered tips like hawks. I've been trying to identify it by "voice" but they are very quiet.

Our backdoor neighbor does have a feeder. Last year I saw one snatch a sparrow, in flight, that had just finished dinning on the free seed. The biggest change in recent years is that we have squirrels now.

Pat

**Team Sergeant** · 10-18-2008, 10:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM

That looks dead on, TS. In flight, though, they have pointed wingtips instead of the feathered tips like hawks. I've been trying to identify it by "voice" but they are very quiet.

Our backdoor neighbor does have a feeder. Last year I saw one snatch a sparrow, in flight, that had just finished dinning on the free seed. The biggest change in recent years is that we have squirrels now.

Pat

Thought so..... feeders work both ways, they feed the prey the hawks eat...

When that feeder goes so will he. If you want to keep him around set up another feeder in an "open" area where he has a clear attack path to the feeder....

Also, go and look for a nest up high in your trees, if he's around all the time he probably lives close by. (I know all this because we used to have a family of Coopers nesting in our yard (South Carolina))

Falcons have the pointed wing tips, real pointed tips. Built for speed and the fasest flying animal on the planet(Peregrine Falcon). The Coopers wing tips can fool one sometimes. Like Peregrine Falcon's the Coopers eat birds and need to be fast but their attack usually comes as the birds are sitting or close to flight. The Peregrine Falcon will take birds from the air at any given time. Its the cheetah in the air.

PSM · 10-18-2008, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Thought so..... feeders work both ways, they feed the prey the hawks eat...

When that feeder goes so will he. If you want to keep him around set up another feeder in an "open" area where he has a clear attack path to the feeder....

Also, go and look for a nest up high in your trees, if he's around all the time he probably lives close by. (I know all this because we used to have a family of Coopers nesting in our yard (South Carolina))

The feeder has been there about 23 years, so far. The woman is a bit of a bird nut.

They still have a double lot, as does our neighbor on the east, so it does have a pretty good killing field.

Is this what retirement is like? I'm spending my time watching hawks, squirrels, and crows fight in my neighbor's yard.

Pat