I was preparing to leave when I saw four Shoveler ducks flying into the Bronx Kill very fast from the east. Two males and two females, in a kind of vertical square formation that I think of as pretty typical for them.
Then I realized that a fifth bird was behind them--a Peregrine Falcon! A second Peregrine came in from above--I can't even imagine where it was before--but the Shovelers hit the water and the thirty-odd Mallards rose up into the air (I think the Buffleheads and Ruddys all dove), and the Peregrines made a pass over the Kill and then broke off the attack and flew to one of the baseball field backstops--one went a few feet over my head!--and perched.
take me out with the crowd
So I didn't get any pictures of that. I just watched with my jaw hanging open. Oh well.
The Canadas and Brants didn't have any reaction to the Peregrines. That struck me as odd--I thought geese always flew up when falcons were around, and the Brants are small enough to be prey-size. I was also surprised that the Falcons didn't make more of an effort to take the Shovelers when they went down on the water.. I suppose they didn't want to deal with angry Mallards who were already alter to them.
Peregrine in flight
The two Falcons flew from one backstop to another a couple of times. As you can see, I'm not great at getting birds in flight.
convenient to midtown, all mod cons
Eventually they flew off towards the mental health center on the island, where they often roost.
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