Dear Cindy:

That is the same falcon we saw (look back a few messages). We judged the
bird to be a 1st year tundrius Peregrine, not a Prairie. I noted that in
flight as it circled the underwings were pale, not black, as with Prairie.
The bird also had very heavy dark "moustache", so much so that it looked at
first as though the throat looked dark too, but that just at first look--the
throat was whitish. It certainly was an interesting plumage for a
Peregrine, though. Interestingly, there was also a report of Gyr in that
area on Saturday, I believe, also.

Scott Atkinson


>From: WillisC at immunex.com
>Reply-To: WillisC at immunex.com
>To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>Subject: Prarie Falcon
>Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2001 07:30:51 -0800
>
>On Saturday, Jan. 13, Dennis Ryan and I watched an immature Prarie Falcon
>feed on an immature Snow Goose for about 20 mintues in a field near the
>Jensen access. We saw it after the kill as it was plucking the goose. It
>fed quickly for about 10 minutes until it's crop was bulging then stood off
>and cleaned it's feet. After awhile, it started doing a pumping motion,
>moving food out of the crop. Then it got back on the goose and continued
>feeding until a couple walked by with their 2 dachsunds and scared it off
>the goose. Most people had stopped to look at the flocks of Snow Gesse and
>never saw the falcon feeding.
>
>Cindy Willis
>Whidbey Island
>willisc at immunex.com
>

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