Today I birded the Bob Heirman Wildlife park in Snohomish County. There was
a mixed flock of about 100 blackbirds perched in the alders at the dike
trail,and on the large cedar tree, about 50 meters away was a peregrine
falcon. The falcon took off from its perch, slightly higher than the
blackbirds and all the blackbirds took to the air enmass. The falcon swerved
and chased for about a minute with no captures then perched on one of the
alders where the blackbirds had been. The blackbirds all few over and
perched on the large cedar, previous roost to the falcon. Blackbirds 1,
Falcon 0. This scene was repeated 3 more times over the next thirty minutes,
each time, to my astonished delight the participants changing seats from
Alder to Cedar. After 4 "quarters" the score was blackbirds 4, falcon 0.
Then a red-tail came up, perched on the Alder near where the falcon was, and
the falcon headed elsewhere. Game Over, blackbirds win! The crowd (me) goes
wild!

Highlight of the game was the one on one chase; falcon against a singled
out blackbird who did an amazing drop directly into some blackberry vines,
the falcon having to pull up at the last instant or get enmeshed in
stickers. Right in front of me. I thought maybe the blackbird was injured,
but it defiantly CHeeOwwed its red-wing cheer, hopped up to the top of the
brambles and joined its team as they changed back into the Alders overhead
during the next go around. What a great game! Beats the dumb Rose Bowl
anyday.

Rob Sandelin
Who watched perhaps a few too many bowl games this week and should have gone
birding instead
Sky Valley Environments <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
Field skills training for student naturalists
Floriferous at msn.com


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