(no subject)

[spatch]

Anybody know if there are local falcons nesting in Boston? I'm reasonably sure the birds what buzzed me last week out on the Fort Point Channel were of the falcony ilk, possibly Peregrines. Two of 'em there were, swooping out over the water. One swooped so close to me that I could hear the fwoosh as it went by. The serious detail I noticed was that it had bright yellow talons.

Then again, I've seen seagulls riding the thermals high up above the place, but that ding-dang swoopy birdo certainly warn't no seagull.

Comments

[bostonista.livejournal.com]

There's a nesting pair in the Christian Science Center plaza. I haven't seen any downtown, but it would make sense for falcons to live down here (lots of vermin to eat).

[spatch]

Oh, awesome. I'm hoping it's them. I'll name one Mary Baker, and I'll name the other Eddy!

[bostonista.livejournal.com]

Who knew that Christian Scientists could be so vicious?

[samethreechords.livejournal.com]

This isn't an answer to your question, but I learned recently from my ecologist roommate that there are a bunch of Peregrines who like to set up camp on the Brooklyn Bridge and a few other places. Ever since he told me that, I've been walking the streets in abject fear of the world's fastest divers suddenly deciding to swoop in on me just for kicks.

[kalibex.livejournal.com]

Hells, yeah.

I heard and saw a raptor riding the thermals over the Longwood neighborhood a few days back....

[ratatosk.livejournal.com]

I have some photos of one that perched on the building nextdoor to Akamai. I understand there are at least 3 nesting pairs of peregrine falcons. I've also seen kestrels, but those are more common and I assume they aren't what you mean.

[spatch]

Yeah, I'm reasonably sure they weren't kestrels -- the bright yellow talons 'n beak was a giveaway, and the fact that they were more gray than rusty. I think I'd have remembered "a rusty blur" in that moment my mind took the freezeframe memory.

I'm psyched to see peregrines up and about!

[fancycwabs.livejournal.com]

Have you considered wearing a bunny suit in order to get a closer look?

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

That won't work for peregrines. He'd have to wear a pigeon suit and launch himself really high into the air, and wait for the impact.

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

There are definitely peregrines in Boston. There's a famous pair on the Custom House Clock Tower.

[luckimunki.livejournal.com]

http://www.rhythmbird.net/peregrines/2002/album25.html

[spatch]

Okay, that's, like, really really really cool. And the Custom House is the coolest building in Boston, so it's like double the cool.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Redtail hawks are so common up here in Melrose that my wife and I have stopped pointing them out to each other when we see them.

I do remember being down on the Common, and seeing about a million pigeons panic and take off in a big mass.

Then we saw the falcon.

It was COOOOOOOOOOOL.

[arielblue.livejournal.com]

There was a pair of red-tailed hawks that nested on the MIT campus, conveniently right in front of a window where they could stick a webcam on 'em. They had two babies, which have already fledged -- if you google MIT redtail hawk cam you'll probably find a bunch of stuff about them and maybe some archived footage. It was really cool to watch them grow up -- and there's something unnervingly satisfying about watching the adults rip up an entire skwerl within a few short minutes...

[bismuthobsidian.livejournal.com]

Scientists think that large birds of prey which at one time were wary of humans and needed wide open spaces have, after a few generations, adapted to living with humans in an urban environment. Not bad for once being endangered.

[(Anonymous)]

It could have been the peregrine falcon. I have seen one perching and flying in the vicinity of that tall ugly concrete B.U. building between Comm Ave and the river near the turnpike. Or it could have been either the merlin or coopers hawk you saw, suggested by the fact that they flew low. Both look similar to the peregrine. I have been subjected to raptor scare tactic treatments like what you describe, which is meant to protect a nest site, but never in the city. Watch your 6. Those talons are sharp.