Saturday afternoon (11/10) while I was making my usual rounds at the west viewing platform of the Edmonds marsh,?an unusual cry and movement to the west over the marina caught my attention.? I saw what appeared to be a?raptor struggling with its prey.? Following my policy of "shoot first and ask questions later", I?began photographing the bird with?my Canon 5D Mk III and big honkin' 100-400mm zoom lens?.?? The bird accommodated me by?turning?southeast?and flying directly overhead.?
?
I initially thought?the?raptor?was a hawk, but its?wing beat?was?wrong.?? It flew the length of the marsh and continued flying rapidly east over downtown Edmonds until it was out of sight.? Looking at?the viewing screen of my camera, the bird apeared to be a peregrine falcon and its prey was another bird.?? Studying my photos at home on the computer, I believe the falcon's prey was a Bonaparte's gull.? While in flight with the prey, the falcon bent down and bit it at least twice.??I assume?this was to kill it?to prevent? its further struggle which might?cause the falcon to drop it.
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
I thought it quite ironic that the previous day my friend Terry and I had traveled in vain?to the Skagit and Samish flats in the hopes of photographing similar avian action,?yet I found?it five minutes from home at my usual spot on the #1 viewing platform of the marsh.
?
?
?
Bill Anderson; Edmonds, WA. USA