Subject: Sharpies at the feeders
Date: Jan 19 09:25:39 1996
From: "C. Blanding" - ctb at u.washington.edu


Monday morning at about 10 am I had just finished counting birds at my
feeders for the Cornell survey, when my son and I both saw TWO sharpies
stoop from different directions on a large (about 35 birds) flock of
siskins, juncos, house finches, and a few chickadees. One sharpy missed,
and had to pull up at high speed to avoid the window - which we sat
directly in front of, surprized and fascinated. It sailed up over the
house inches from our faces! The other sharpy disappeared over the back
fence, talons reaching for a finch just a hairsbreadth in the lead. I
think it made the kill. The flock scattered for cover, and remained out
of sight for a good 45 minutes. I have seen sharpies around the yard three
or four times, and watched them kill twice before. The incident really
jazzed my son (14 yrs old), who, teenage ennui aside, is slowly but surely
turning into a birder.

--Cindy Blanding, ctb at u.washington.edu 206.543-1899
IBS, University of Washington Libraries
FM-25, Seattle, Washington 98195

>
> >The wee ones were making so much fuss, I finally put up the window feeder
> >and bought them sunflower seeds. Just five minutes ago, a falcon landed
> >in the maple nearby. Cdn't get any markings due to coming darkness.
> >Anyone else find their feeders draw bigger birds who feed on the "little
> >fish"?
> >Irene
>