Hi All,

We just took out of the river this afternoon from our annual float trip and it was a great time, including the birding and bird photography. I witnessed several Peregrine Falcon (PEFA) hunts, including one in which the hunting bird flew almost directly over my head. I had a camera rig that I was able to handhold and got some flight shots of the birds.

The image with the following link (http://www.tubbsphoto.com/-/tubbsphoto/detail.asp?photoID=4245928&cat=38975) is backlit fairly badly, but shows a pretty amazing scene. A juvenile PEFA has captured a swallow (probably Tree, possibly Violet Green) - the wings and head of the prey are visible being held by the talons. A second - excessively brave? - swallow was pursuing the falcon and harassing it for the whole time the falcon was in view.

If you click on the previous link and then hit NEXT there is an image of an adult PEFA that was flying overhead during a chaotic, but apparently unsuccessful, hunt that targeted a small flock of pigeons.

I'll do a full trip report later, but it was a good trip - particularly in the raptor department, which included Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Osprey and Red Tailed Hawk in addition to the PEFA's.

John Tubbs
Snoqualmie, WA
johntubbs at comcast.net
www.tubbsphoto.com