Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Wildlife

Yesterday, late afternoon, I was working hard and looked out the window to see a smallish bird of prey eating a bird just beyond our yard, gray feathers flying in the air at it chewed away. Turns out, it was almost surely a peregrine falcon (image from here). I walked out to get a better look and got very close to it — 15 meters or so. It didn't react when a cyclist went by right next to it. A neighbor was out and about who knows birds and I asked him about it; he confirmed that it was peregrine. Said it had been in his backyard last week eating another bird.

Every time I see a bird of prey now, I think of the fate of dysfunctional departments (here). And that's a reminder: It's getting to be time for an update on local university finances/politics.

But for now, what a sleek, beautiful animal — even if it's a born killer.

4 comments:

Aimee Olafson said...

We saw a large hawk-looking bird in our yard. Our compost pile attracts many a small prey...

The Ridger, FCD said...

Without falcons, we'd be up to our necks in pigeons.

Mr. Verb said...

Or deeper!

Mr. Verb said...

So, Aimee, keep an eye on what kind of hawk-looking bird -- anywhere in the Midwest, it could be an interesting creature.