Who's Afraid Of... - 28 Jul 2018

A Peregrine Falcon? Apparently, Eastern Kingbirds. NOT!

I rode out to the Bad Creek Unit of Pt. Mouillee SGA this evening to check out shorebirds. I saw none. The shallow ponds and mudflats were bare. Only a scattering of Great Egrets were present along the far shoreline of the flooded field.  As I scanned the field w/ binoculars I caught a dark-colored raptor soaring low over the field and heading out across the channel behind me. At first I thought Cooper's Hawk, but then my mind kicked in. Peregrine Falcon!

It soared over the tree tops, and I thought that was it. But, then I heard the chattering and rustling in the tree tops. Suddenly, the Peregrine Falcon, a juvenile, burst through the vegetation with a pair of Eastern Kingbirds hot on its trail. I had moments to grab the camera and shoot a burst of 10-15 frames while the birds flew directly at me. At the time I didn't even have an idea what kinds of birds were chasing the falcon.

A third kingbird joined the harrassment before the young Peregrine flew back into the Bad Creek Unit and landed on the mudflats. I watched it for several minutes through the scope before packing up and heading back to the Middle Causeway.

Pte. Mouillee SGA (permit required Sep 1-Dec 15), Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 28, 2018 5:39 PM - 7:54 PM
Protocol: Traveling
9.603 mile(s)
43 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  24
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  4
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)  2
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  45
Redhead (Aythya americana)  6
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  3
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  3
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)  4     Adut w 2 chicks along SE corner of Long Pond, and calling adult in NE corner of Humphries Unit.
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)  3
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)  4
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)  1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)  8
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)  1     Long Pond Unit, SE corner
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)  12
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)  4
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)  2
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)  2
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)  12
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)  36     Cell4
Double-crested Cormorant (Nannopterum auritum)  2
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  6
Great Egret (Ardea alba)  21
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)  2
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  3
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  1
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)  1     Juvenile being chased by Eastern Kingbirds in Bad Creek Unit.
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  3
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)  1
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  45
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  3
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  12
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  6
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  3
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)  6     Middle Causeway in plowed field next to Humphries Unit NE corner
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  60
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  6
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  5
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S47514877

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)