Chris, According to the National Geo field guide the EUKE is 13 1/2"

Laurinda
Mountlake Terrace WA
RindaA at worldnet.att.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Chris S <chriss at micronics.net>
To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, November 15, 1999 8:15 AM
Subject: Eurasian Kestral?


>
> Went to Bow yesterday, Sunday. Saw either the Eurasian kestral or an
> inmate peregrine falcon in the field across from the Bow post office
> (next to the antique store) at 12.30. I only had binocs. (the birders
> with scopes had moved elsewhere--they were in the 4100 area of Chuckanut
> when I first arrived at 10:30), and I could not see it's talons (looking
> for the black talons reported), but it definitely had the single
> mustache mark. It did not have a pale superciliary line like the
> picture for the immature peregrine, but it looked larger than I expected
> the E. Kestrel to be. It had a brown with buff streaked head [one buff
> feather was sticking up--maybe from its encounters with the harrier], a
> beautiful streaked buff [not cream] chest, and a banded tail noticeably
> longer than its wing tips when it sat on the telephone pole. When it
> flew, the under side of the wings had light and dark variations [like
> page 155 of Peterson's "Hawks"].
> Except for the size, I would say that I saw the E. Kestrel. How
> large was the kestrel that Bud A. banded (I can't translate 162 mm of
> unflattened wing cord to inches)? Was she about 13-14 long? If so,
> then I will feel comfortable adding the Eurasian Kestrel to my life
> list.
> This falcon was being harassed by two N. harriers (who were usually
> hunting in the field on the other side of a dead end road. One of the
> harriers kept swooping at the falcon when it landed on the ground--even
> landing on the ground too at one point (couldn't see what they were
> doing because of the high grass).
> A kingfisher was raising quite a ruckus at the Karma Nursery--it was
> driving off another kingfisher--such language!
> It was a beautiful day, and raptors abounded:
> Even saw an immature bald eagle sitting in an evergreen tree
> that was obviously too small for its size (it was sitting with its
> head/neck scrunched up--almost looked like a vulture, before we did a
> quick pull-off to get a better look). Pretty funny.
>
> Please send your opinions, especially anyone who saw the bird
> yesterday. If it was a peregrine and not the E kestrel, it was still a
> good sighting, and well worth the trip from Seattle.
>
> Chris Southwick
> Seattle
> chriss at micronics.net
>