[cayugabirds-l] Dogfight

[Dave Nutter]

This morning as I arrived at Stewart Park by bike along the Cayuga Waterfront 
Trail, I happened upon Jody Enck getting his scope out of his car near the Swan 
Pond. We of course discussed the interesting birds we had seen recently, 
including gulls. At the time there were a couple hundred gulls resting in the 
shallow water behind the mud bar near the east end of the park. Jody had just 
come from there checking them out. 

As we talked I noticed an odd behavior by some of the gulls. There was a small 
cloud of them - about 20 I’d guess - flying around in a rather spherical 
pattern a bit offshore partway to East Shore Park and gradually moving north. A 
binocular view revealed that one of the birds who seemed to be in the lead was 
generally gray-brown like a juvenile Herring Gull, but smaller than the gulls. 
Jody aimed his scope while I quickly got my scope out of my pannier and set it 
up. I was hoping for a jaeger, but I couldn’t make the field marks fit. It 
seems rude and ungrateful to be disappointed in seeing a Peregrine Falcon, but 
such was the case, and I eventually made out the distinctive facial pattern in 
addition to the plain long square tail and the plain long pointed flexible 
wings. 

For a couple minutes as we watched, the falcon rose and dived and while being 
harassed by Herring Gulls. The gulls appeared to be all the same size, and 
included at least one gray-brown young Herring Gull. No Great Black-backed 
Gulls bothered to join in (at least I never saw any near the Peregrine), and no 
Ring-billed Gulls took the risk (that’s a species that more than once I’ve seen 
eaten by a Peregrine). 

I saw this Peregrine swerve toward a gull once, and I saw an adult Herring Gull 
with pink feet lowered try to strike the Peregrine once, but there did not seem 
to be any really close calls while I scoped them. I don’t know who started the 
dogfight, but it was clear that the gulls were not simply flushing in fear; 
they did not want the falcon around, and collectively they made their point. 
Eventually the Peregrine flew north alone into the headwind. 

It seemed to me that a lot of energy was spent in flight, for which the falcon 
gained nothing beyond the knowledge that those gulls were aware and healthy and 
agile and intolerant. Gulls fly around a lot anyway, and the gulls here are 
pretty well fed on Cornell’s food scraps, I suppose, but I’ve never seen them 
chase a Peregrine before. Instead I’ve seen a Peregrine a couple of times 
eating atop a log in the water or while standing on the ice while gulls kept 
their distance, or many times a Peregrine has simply perched in a treetop near 
the lakeshore. Maybe this falcon was more interested in migrating. Maybe it was 
more intimidated than most. It looked like it was a young bird, streaky below. 
I hope it gets a meal somewhere along its way. 

- - Dave Nutter


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Re: [cayugabirds-l] Still hanging around

[david nicosia]

 I had a light phase rough-legged hawk high up over upper lisle county park 
today. Bird was drifting north. Likely it was a migrant. 
On Saturday, March 24, 2018, 9:20:18 PM EDT, Ken Haas  
wrote:  
 
 This afternoon, Saturday, I saw 2 light Rough-legged Hawks on Black Road near 
the Rt. 79 intersection less than a mile West of Mecklenberg. This comes after 
seeing one two days ago at the same location. 

Ken Haas
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[cayugabirds-l] Cedar waxwings in Groton

[Kelly Lee Smith]

Small flock in cherry trees for most of the afternoon today.


Kelly Smith

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[cayugabirds-l] Still hanging around

[Ken Haas]

This afternoon, Saturday, I saw 2 light Rough-legged Hawks on Black Road near 
the Rt. 79 intersection less than a mile West of Mecklenberg. This comes after 
seeing one two days ago at the same location. 

Ken Haas
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[cayugabirds-l] Lansing Station birds

[Donna Lee Scott]

Saturday:
A couple 1000 Snow Geese near west shore Cayuga L. 
Buffleheads by east shore. 
Raven pair croaking as they flew over yard. 
Brown Headed Cowbird pair in with flock of Red Winged Blackbirds. 
Usual feeder birds. 

Donna Scott
Lansing
Sent from my iPhone

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[cayugabirds-l] 2nd Gyrfalcon Seneca County?

[M Miller]

I found a Gyrfalcon on Yellow Tavern Rd, west of rte 414 in the town of Fayette 
Sat morning. It appears to be a more brownish morph, or possibly a juvenile 
gray morph. I don’t think it is the same bird that has been seen at the nearby 
stone quarry (along Canoga Rd) despite the close proximity. Photos are on the 
Eaton Birding Society facebook page.
Also had 3 Snowy Owls around the FL Airport/Lott Farm, all very close to the 
road. Thousands of Snow Geese still around many fields in the town of Fayette.

Mark Miller

Sent from Windows Mail


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