[mou] Red-tailed Hawk Attack

[Alt, Mark]

Thanks for the clarification, but please do not be too hard on yourself.
I really appreciate your willingness to share. If anyone sounded
critical in their comments to you, please do not think the MOU shares
their perspective. I guarantee they do not speak for the overall
organization, or even a significant percentage of us.

 

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From: mou-net-bounces at moumn.org [mailto:mou-net-bounces at moumn.org] On
Behalf Of Jason Caddy
Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2008 9:17 AM
To: mou mail list
Subject: [mou] Red-tailed Hawk Attack

 

Fellow Birders,
 
I recently posted about a Red-tailed Hawk attacking a duckling that had
flown 3 feet off the water. I was just informed that ducklings cannot
fly until they are full grown. As careful as I am when identifying birds
I guess I should be more careful with their behavioral accounts. Here is
exactly what I remember:
I was observing from the blind as a Red-tailed Hawk came diving through
the sky over the lake (pond?) at Purgatory Creek. It caused most of the
gulls and terns on the island to fly in alarm. Upon the actual strike
that occured on the water the details become somewhat fuzzy as I was a
good distance away and the strike occurred in the blink of an eye. After
the Hawk hit its target I could see wings spreading out from its talons
in a last attemp to escape. I think that a duckling was snatched off the
water. However, it is possible that the target was on the shore just
beyond the ducks in which case it could have been one of the Lesser
Yellowlegs and maybe did actually fly up at the last second. I do know
that the ducks were distraught after the attack and freaked out when 2
more Yellowlegs came in for a landing. Whatever the case, it was still
very exciting. I will just tell the facts next time and not expand on
something I wasn't 100% sure about.
Good Birding,
 
Jason Caddy
S. Minneapolis
j.caddy at hotmail.com

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