In September, I was at Cape Flattery. I watched a Peregrine fly perhaps
a half-mile from shore, grab a flying Surf Scoter (approximately the
same weight as a Glaucous-winged Gull and considerably heavier than,
say, a Ring-billed, Mew, or California Gull), and carry it back to the
bluff where it began dining. It didn't appear to have any trouble
carrying it.

David Given-Seymour
4239 Van Horn Lane
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 527-0598
(360) 527-0599 (fax)
givenseymour at comcast.net
-----Original Message-----
From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of
BobnBernie
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 6:09 PM
To: Tweeters; Dennis Paulson
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] large prey for Sharp-shinned Hawk

Last summer we observed the Peregrines at Snoqualmie Falls on numerous
occasions. On one trip before the young fledged, we observed one of the
parents plucking, what us and others decided, was some type of gull. We
all wondered how this could be. The Peregrine and gull were not on flat
ground. They were on a rock outcropping near the top of the canyon where
we had seen the Peregrines pluck pigeons before taking them to the
babies and/or eating themselves.

About a week after all the young had fledged, we saw two of the young
feeding on a gull on a different rock when we first observed them.

In both instances, we saw the gull on the rock without seeing how it got
there. Were the gulls flying over the area and the peregrines took them
out of the air or did they bring them in from somewhere else? Both seem
hard to believe. We think they would be to heavy and/or awkward to carry
any distance. If they took them out of the air above the falls, one
would think that they would have to take them to an easer place to land
other then on the outcroppings. We find it hard to believe that they
would have that much control with wings made for speed rather than lift
carrying something that big.

We are far from being as knowledgeable as most on this board. It will be
interesting to see what others have to say.

Bob n Bernie Meyer
Renton

BobnBernie at Comcast.net