Subject: Re: raptor rapture
Date: Oct 12 17:53:00 1996
From: Don Baccus - donb at rational.com


>I was in time to watch as the parakeets and a Red-tailed
>Hawk approached one another at a 90 degree angle, traveling lickity
>split. They got within about 20 feet of each other, and as if coming
>to a simultaneously conclusion (I'm [we're] outta here), abruptly
>veered off at their respective right angles. It was well
>choreographed.

OK, a new Goshutes raptor story, then, remember, you've started it!

Naw, it's a pretty good one. I didn't see this with binoculars,
unfortunately, but others did (I was trapping).

A red-tail and goshawk were sailing south down the eastside of
the ridge when suddenly, the gos dove on the tail and grabbed
it solidly! They spun widely out of control, with the gos hanging
on as they dropped to within a 100 feet or so of tree level, when
it finally got smart and let go. The tail got the hell outta
dodge afterwards.

You see a lot of dog-fighting (which novices normally react to
by saying "oh, they're PLAYING!") but none of us could remember
seeing one participant actually grab hold of another in mid-air.

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, at http://www.xxxpdx.com/~dhogaza