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shady
Trad climber
hasbeen
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Apr 16, 2013 - 04:29pm PT
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A few years back while on a fishing trip in Montana I saw something I still can't wrap my head around.
While driving up one of those beautiful river valleys, the Flathead I think, I saw a bald eagle traveling in my same direction. It was just over the tree line on the other side of the river. I didn't have to slow down much to pace it. As I was admiring this powerful raptor a grey streak shot down from the eagles six o'clock high position, hitting it in the back of the head.
I was caught between looking for the assailant and the eagle, now tumbling earthward in a trail of white feathers. I honestly felt sick as the eagle tumbled out of control, disappearing into the trees.
Although I never saw it clearly, my assumption, based on color and speed, the assailant was a peregrine. I had no idea these two birds had such an adversarial relationship. Since they don't share the same prey, I am left to assume it was a territorial issue.
Is this common behavior for a peregrine?
Awesome thread!
So many great photographers here on ST.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
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Apr 16, 2013 - 04:45pm PT
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I was waiting for a jet to come out of the clouds and saw thse guys way up there. This is about 50x.
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matty
Trad climber
under the sea
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Apr 16, 2013 - 04:50pm PT
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Speaking of fuzzy heads here is a baby goose from that day...
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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Apr 16, 2013 - 05:00pm PT
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Nice pics you guys!
I had killer birding this morning checking out a new section of Bolsa Chica and the Hunt. Beach Central Park.
Highlights include:
Lazuli Bunting (only second time I've seen one and first in the OC, seen one at Dinkey Creek in the Sierra)
Hammond's Flycatcher (tricky but positive ID)(life lister)was reported on the OC rare bird alert 2 days ago, I contacted the lady that saw it and got good beta from her on where to look
Black Chinned Hummer (first of season)
Hairy Woodpecker (first of season)
I got home and my new (replacement) Canon SX50 showed up. I missed some good photo ops today though.
WHEE-HOO!
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shady
Trad climber
hasbeen
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Apr 16, 2013 - 08:59pm PT
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Lazuil bunting, at Bolsa chica?
Being an OC ex-pat I gotta say that's cool.
Good eye!
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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Apr 16, 2013 - 11:32pm PT
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I read THE BIG YEAR
and
KINGBIRD HIGHWAY
any other suggestions?
I liked BIG YEAR the best.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:43am PT
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The Bird by Colin Tudge - erudite and entertaining.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 02:36am PT
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Some from our feeder (Seattle). Aside from these, I saw an American Pipit (lifer) at the landfill on the commute in the other day.
and for the purists (e.g. me) who don't want any human made objects in the photo, these are blossoms of the pear tree that they seem to love regardless of the feeder.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Apr 17, 2013 - 10:03am PT
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Who can resist a baby goose Matty? So cute! It was nice seeing them there too. Spring has arrived (in LA anyway).
Love the Pine Siskins Darwin. We get them at the feeders here and they are always a treat hanging with the Goldfinch. Feisty little guys!
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dirt claud
Social climber
san diego,ca
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Apr 17, 2013 - 11:28am PT
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Apr 17, 2013 - 11:59am PT
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Cool Mandarins! I wish we could have seen the one that frequents the Arboretum. I've never seen one.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:04pm PT
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Crimpy, just say no to escapees! ;-0
Sitting here and watching 'my' Black Phoebe work the front yard.
In the afternoon he moves to the backyard. It is amazing that a few
yards can provide such a good living. Is it because ours and the two on
either side are pretty much pesticide-free? I qualify that because I do
employ targeted strikes against the ants. I draw the line at carpet bombing.
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:04pm PT
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No way dewd - those Mandarin ducks are fake! ;-). Amazing colors, would love to see one!
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dirt claud
Social climber
san diego,ca
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:10pm PT
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Will have to check that one out Crimpie. Didn't know they had one there.
Those Black Phoebes crack me up, they are cute little guys.
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little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:20pm PT
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was out in a pineapple plantation the other day where they set up these sheets of fly paper along the edge of the beds to do insect pest monitoring and saw this...
looks like a Common Pauraque slammed into the sheet and got stuck, at least momentarily, LOL! I bet it went after some moth or big insect that was also stuck there.
Shady - the Peregrine striking the Bald Eagle is pretty typical for most raptors if they are defending a nest with young, no fear of taking on bigger critters if they get too close to the nest, people included. I once found someone's "US Forest Service" hat in a Goshawk nest.
Slater - ditto Crimpy's recommendation: "Hope is the thing with feathers" is a great book
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 17, 2013 - 12:26pm PT
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There is a famous case of a ranger in Minnesota who got too close to a
Great Horned Owl nest one night. He never saw her coming until it was too
late - she hit him right in the face and he never saw anything again.
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shady
Trad climber
hasbeen
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Apr 17, 2013 - 02:07pm PT
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Thanks little Z.
In the seventies I was briefly into falconry. bitd we had to take birds from the wild. The ferocity of even something as small as a kestrel defending a nest is very impressive, and understandable.
The attack on the eagle shocked me because the eagle was minding it's own business, the attack seemed to be unprovoked.
Thanks...
Presheatechr response.
P.S. FS hat in a Goshawk nest...heh...heh...heh...birdy got a trophy.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Apr 17, 2013 - 02:25pm PT
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Reilly - I'm no purist. I love them all! :) Would like to see a Mandarin since I've not seen them ever.
Dirt Claud, Steve Wolfe (aka Lone Wolfe) said there has been a resident Mandarin at the Arboretum. Unfortunately we didn't get to see him on our trip.
Crazy photo Little Z!
Love this thread.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Apr 18, 2013 - 03:41am PT
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Okay birders, it's test time again. Here's an LBB (little brown bird) I saw this morning. Couldn't get too close, so I'll post several pictures in the hope that one of them will be useful (and yeah, I know the pictures suck), but let's see who can tell me what this is...
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