This morning, a little bit after 9:00, I went to Alki Point(Seattle,
King County, WA, USA, N. America, Earth). Just above the lighthouse was a
group of gulls soaring into a brisk north wind. I noticed two birds
soaring slightly above the gulls with longer, pointed wing tips and diamond
shaped tails. They turned out to be a pair of Peregrines (the downtown
pair, I presume). As I watched them, one suddenly stooped to the south
out over the rocks at Alki. I drove around the corner and saw that a
large group of pigeons near the apartments just south of the walkway were
up and packed into a tight flock. As I scanned the area I saw one of the
Peregrines flying low (3 ft.) over the water heading north towards a
large raft of scoters. As it approached, the scoters scattered, dove and
generally panicked. The peregrine then continued along the beach and flew
about 20 feet directly over me (with mouth agape). The bird then flushed a
Sanderling and began to chase it out over the water. The other Peregrine
joined the first and they commenced to take turns stooping the Sanderling
as they drove it further out into the Sound. The Peregrines seemed to be
hunting in concert, one bird hovering about 50 feet above the other as it
would stoop at the Sanderling. This continued for about 1 minute and the
birds stooped approx. 5 times each on the Sanderling before it escaped (one
lucky bird). Question: Do Peregrines form "winter bonds" and hunt
together? I know that Bud Anderson has seen this in South America, but is
there other, published evidence that pairs are formed on wintering grounds?
Other highlights at Alki included two Surfbirds on the rock outcrop, a
small flock of Brant, all scoters, Common Goldeneyes, Harlequins, grebes,
GBH, and a woman running with ski boots attached to some kind of springy
boards so it looked like she was hopping.

David Buckley
lsdb at u.washington.edu