[mou] Lewiston Ponds - Raptor Predation

[Chad Aakre]

Hey all,

I stopped by the lagoons on my way to Rochester at about noon today and got 
a special treat.   I studied the shorebirds for about 30 minutes and was 
taking down some field notes when I heard a "woosh" sound above and to my 
right.   I looked up to see a raptor shoot by no more than 20 feet off the 
ground.   It took one pass at the shorebirds and then came back around and 
streaked down to pick off a Pectoral Sandpiper from the mudflats.   It was 
an amazing sight.   I watched the whole thing through my binoculars.  It 
appeared to reach down and bite the bird moments after snagging the prey.   
The bird was a Peregrine Falcon.   I was able to make the I.D. with the long 
looks as it flew off into the distance with its prey.

So to add to this.  I also watched a family of American  Kestrals flying 
around the ponds when I arrived.  I watched an immature catching 
grasshoppers and eating them on a wire near the entrance.  I thought I was 
pretty special to see two raptors catch and eat prey within such a short 
time span.

All of the shorebirds flew off when the Peregrine made its catch so I 
proceeded on my drive to Rochester.   As I was heading into Utica, I saw a 
kettle of raptors circling over a field that the farmer was cutting and 
raking hay.    I pulled over and it ended up being two Turkey Vultures with 
a Red-tailed Hawk and a Swainsons Hawk.   They were just circling this one 
area quite low.    All of the sudden the Red - tail went into a dive and 
caught some prey at the edge of the cut hay.   So that made it three raptor 
kills in less than an hour.    I continued to watch the Swainsons Hawk 
circle for quite a while as this is the most eastern that I have ever seen 
one.  I also got to add that to my Winona County list.

So quite a trip.

Shorebirds observed at Lewiston Sewage Ponds:

Pectoral Sandpiper - 50 or so
Baird's Sandpiper - 2
Least Sandpiper - 3
Spotted Sandpiper - 2
Lesser Yellowlegs - 4
Greater Yellowlegs - 2


Also hundreds of immature starlings at the sewage ponds.   That was a little 
sad to see.

Chad Aakre
Winona County

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