[Birdtalk] A banner day on JR parkway

[John Morgan]

Today around 4:00 p.m. while walking southbound on the Jordan River parkway trail at a point 1/4 mile north of the water treatment plant near Gardner Village (7800 S), my eye was caught by a large bird gliding in my general direction. It's funny how the subconscious instinctively goes to work translating the data. The data stream went something like this..."Oh cool! A large accipiter....Cooper's Hawk....no, too large....pointed wingtips....different kind of look than a Cooper's....could it be???" About that time the bird landed on top of a powerpole just west of me. I did have binoculars this time!

Bird is found in binocular eyepiece and data stream continues..."Dark cap and eye stripe....wings as long as tail when folded...Holy Cow! A Peregrine!" Wow! In the 3 minutes the bird sat on the pole, I was able to see it fluff out its feathers, scratch its chin with an enormous foot that looked too big for the bird, and generally look bored at the Starlings flying low overhead (apparently unaware of the Falcon's presence?) We stayed for the entire show. Eventually (I believe it was a female) she flew off, flying nearly overhead and off to the east across the wild wheat field that was once the Midvale mine tailings area.

I was able to watch the flight (except for when directly overhead) through the binoculars. Carma enjoyed a few looks through the binoculars as well.

It is interesting that all Falcons seem to have the same general wing shape and curvature, as seen when the bird is flying towards or away from viewer. Now I've seen American Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine from that same perspective, and they all look very similar. In flight, the Peregrine's wings are unmistakenly pointed! No mistaking it for a Cooper's Hawk. This bird seemed at least a third larger than any Cooper's I've ever seen. Another thing immediately noticeable was the size of the torso--another thing that differs from any other 'near-look-alike' bird. Looked 'thick-chested' in flight.

This Falcon had a commanding presence when compared to other pole sitters (buteos). Larger and taller than I imagined a Peregrine to be....characteristic of a female? 

This sighting was the longest, closest Peregrine sighting I've ever had. The recent South Utah Lake sighting was a quick drive by.

John

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