Not a Ford

I asked him to stand next to this Cottonwood for size reference....

Falcon that is, but rather TWO Peregrine Falcons at the Amsterdam Gateway Overlook Bridge. They were seen Saturday on a bird walk that I missed and we went down to see if we could find them this morning.

The light was questionable, the air heavy and full of a sense of the storms this afternoon may bring. The boss is good to me though, and joined me in a walk all the way from the Port Jackson boat launch to the east end of the park.

It was fun and we saw some birds here and there, but nothing special. Still a good morning walking out for birds is a good morning and that is all there is to it. By the band shell thingamabob the boss sat down on a convenient bench. Once I got done running around looking at Song Sparrows I joined him.

We talked and rested from our walk. Suddenly an unfamiliar cry came from just across the river. Two duck-sized birds were racing by, under the bridge and away. Two Peregrines! Just the birds we had come to see. One was carrying a small prey creature, looked kind of fish-like although it was probably a bird. It was grey anyhow.

Don't know why they are visiting Amsterdam, but wouldn't it be great if they nest nearby next year? I saw a pair earlier this summer in NYC, and have even counted them over the farm a couple of times, but it was really neat to find them like that.