I wanted to go up to Bellingham today to photograph the Caspian tern nesting
colony, but I changed my mind when I?saw the weather had reverted back to the
usual rain and gloom.???My son?and I?stopped off at the McDonalds' drive-thru
window?for?our usual lunch off the dollar menue, then headed for Sunset Ave. to
eat and look for the usual subjects to photograph: trains,? eagles (very rare
these days), osprey, and whatever else would fly, swim, or chug by.

As I approached the usual parking spots, I saw several crows dive bombing
something just below the bank. I suspected it was the small hawk (Cooper's or
sharp-shinned) that I have seen in the area on several occasions.??I was feeling
even more so when I saw something small and brown?on the tracks below me.? I
pulled into the striped "no parking" zone for some quick shots.??Imagine my
surprise when I saw a peregrine falcon?after zeroing in with the 400mm end of my
zoom lens.

The falcon flew out over the water, then landed on the beach.? It spent several
minutes beach combing? before it flew back towards the bluff and headed north.?
I always think of a falcon as?raining death on?small birds from above.? This one
behaved?more like a bald eagle as it picked through the washed up seaweed,
I?assume looking for something to eat.?? I ended up taking?nearly 300 photos of
it before it finally flew? away.


Bill Anderson; Edmonds, WA.????