[Birdtalk] Four Falcons

[kristinpurdy at comcast.net]

I saw four species of falcon today along the Weber County Rail Trail in Plain City.

Predictably, the American Kestrel perched on the power line and poles that parallel the trail. He was terribly harassed by three Red-winged Blackbirds when he left the line.

The Prairie Falcon also perched on the power line, oddly enough. I saw the bird at a significant distance--seven poles--ignored the fact that the falcon facing me had a bright white breast and belly, and promptly mid-identified the bird as a kestrel. I took the falcon shape and deep tail-dipping as kestrel characteristics. Then the falcon launched I saw it was a Prairie. He or she did a loop and landed back on the wire with deep tail bobs. Huh. I approached to about the fourth pole and periodically watched the bird trying to maintain its balance. The falcon couldn't stand me closer than four poles and left. 

The Merlin also perched on a pole and preened while flaring that boldly striped tail. This bird was a female or juvenile Richardson's Merlin--mostly milk-chocolate brown and creamy white.

I saw the Peregrine in silhouette only as it harassed a couple large flocks of starlings coursing over the mixed grassland and Russian olives. The starlings' bunching into tight wheeling ovals, bone-shapes, and amoeba-looking blobs while changing direction in a trice was a dead giveaway that a predator was threatening. The Peregrine flew along the edge of one flock for a few seconds and then headed south. I watched the bird with a scope for 5 minutes or more until I couldn't see it any longer. 

In addition to raptors and blackbirds, this habitat is harrier-flicker-sparrow-butter butt territory. Two Eurasian Collared-doves passed overhead at the trailhead at 3900W and Bonaparte's Gulls flew from what appears to be Plain City's water treatment ponds, toward Willard Bay. 

Two trailheads are accessible from 4000N in Farr West (the road that takes you past the entrance road to Willard Bay's South Marina). One trailhead is south of the entrance road to the South Marina. Continue west to 3900W to reach the second entrance; turn south on 3900W and drive 1.2 miles to the rail trail. The habitat becomes rather stark and un-birdy after about a mile west of 3900W. The trail ends in Harold Crane WMA. 

Kris
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