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Nature Done Wright
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April 19, 2018
Amazing Encounter at State Line Lookout
I've seen plenty of Bald Eagles at Stateline Lookout in Alpine over the years, and I've seen plenty of Peregrine Falcons there as well, but I've never seen what Bill Tonner saw last week and posted on Facebook.
Here is Bill's account in this lightly edited version, not for the squeamish:
The sight of an Osprey inspired me "put in some time"at Stateline Lookout today, hoping to catch Spring migration.
I saw two more Osprey and three Red-tailed hawks. End of the afternoon a colorful male American Kestrel headed up river.
But what happened at 3:30 blew me away!
I saw a juvenile Bald Eagle flying across the river from Yonkers. Not very high, coming toward the Peregrine Falcon nest area.
Sure enough, I heard the female Peregrine start to squawk.
A minute after that, she rocketed out of a hidden perch around the cliff top.
She met the eagle as it was one quarter across the river.
The eagle, I had noticed already, was missing some primary feathers. This guy has had a few scraps before, I thought to myself.
The Peregrine dove down through the eagle and then up at it again, the eagle doing barrel rolls showing it's talons, all the while continuing on its course.
The Peregrine intercepted the eagle three times before turning up from the river, gaining altitude quickly up past the Eagle and then turned down again to its target.
The stoop was incredible to see. She transformed herself into a bullet, decreasing in size and increasing in speed.
In an instant, she impacted the Eagle with what looked like a head shot. The eagle was killed instantly.
It went from a wings-flapping glide to a straight down lifeless mass of brown and white.
We heard it splash into the water where it remained floating ever so slowly southward toward the Alpine boat basin.
The Peregrine did a victory lap above the floating raptor.
A Turkey Vulture came down to it immediately, but flew away shortly as if to say, not interested.
I went down to the Alpine boat basin to try and look for the eagle on the water, but with no luck. ,,,
As always, folks, keep looking up!
P.S. Not one photographer to record it all!
Of course, Murphy's Law. Actually there was one, who was sans camera today.
(Thanks, Bill!)
7 comments
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Death from above — the prey doesn’t know what hit ’em…
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Hi, Jim. How come the peregrine doesn’t suffer any serious injury when making contact with it’s prey?
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great one! saw post on SL FB site. Have been up there several times recently to test my BIF (birds in flight) photo skills- ha! Wrong subject to try for a newbie! These raptors are amazing to watch if they’re active. Have seen them chase off TV’s, Juvies and Mature BE’s however not a kill shot on another raptor. River’s fairly wide up there so this amazing “dogfight” ? must have been quite an action movie. Maternal instincts to protect are extremely strong in Mother Nature’s original “F-16”!
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Amazing! That must have been an exciting sight to witness–probably a once-in-a-lifetime. Thanks for sharing.
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I was the photographer sans camera speaking with Bill at this amazing event. His excitement was contagious.
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Unbelievable you saw and recorded it all. thanks
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Do you remember the time we were on a bird walk at Laurel hill and there was a Flock of horned larks and a Peregrine? The Peregrine got mad it missed the horned lark and flew over and footed a resting Canada goose? After that I knew those falcons were real bad actors and would take on any bird any size.
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7 comments
Jim Wright
Death from above — the prey doesn’t know what hit ’em…
Deb Endresen
Hi, Jim. How come the peregrine doesn’t suffer any serious injury when making contact with it’s prey?
Randy
great one! saw post on SL FB site. Have been up there several times recently to test my BIF (birds in flight) photo skills- ha! Wrong subject to try for a newbie! These raptors are amazing to watch if they’re active. Have seen them chase off TV’s, Juvies and Mature BE’s however not a kill shot on another raptor. River’s fairly wide up there so this amazing “dogfight” ? must have been quite an action movie. Maternal instincts to protect are extremely strong in Mother Nature’s original “F-16”!
Enid
Amazing! That must have been an exciting sight to witness–probably a once-in-a-lifetime. Thanks for sharing.
George Weinberger
I was the photographer sans camera speaking with Bill at this amazing event. His excitement was contagious.
Sally
Unbelievable you saw and recorded it all. thanks
Mary
Do you remember the time we were on a bird walk at Laurel hill and there was a Flock of horned larks and a Peregrine? The Peregrine got mad it missed the horned lark and flew over and footed a resting Canada goose? After that I knew those falcons were real bad actors and would take on any bird any size.