[MDOsprey] Kite/Peregrine at Hughes Hollow

Andy Rabin (andyrab@wam.umd.edu)
Sat, 31 Jul 1999 12:29:30 -0400 

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   This morning (Saturday) at around 9 at Hughes Hollow in Montgomery =
County, MD a group of us saw a bird that was very likely either a =
Mississippi Kite or a Peregrine Falcon.  I hope that after reading this =
description some of you may have some input as to what it is we saw.

  I spotted it flapping and gliding a good distance away and my first =
impression was that it was a gull- curved wings and a slow graceful =
flapping.  When I got my binoculars on the bird I couldn't pick up much =
color due to the light, but it was a 'darkish' bird and definitely not a =
gull.  It had a flap-flap-flap-glide pattern like an Accipiter, but its =
wingbeats were too slow and its wings were pointed, ruling out that =
family.  It was too big to have been a kestrel, and I think it's too =
early for it to have been a merlin.  Unfortunately I could not make out =
any color on the bird.  I know that pergrines breed in the area =
(although I haven't heard of any being seen in this neck of the woods) =
and there have been plenty of reports of mississippi kites lately.

    After some thought, I had assured myself that it was a kite, but =
after consulting with my most helpful 'research assistant', Howard Y., I =
began to lean more towards peregrine.  I know this isn't much to go on, =
but plenty of you have seen more kites and falcons than I and might be =
able to identify what we saw based on the above information.  Either =
way, it was a great find for an otherwise slow and hot morning.

Andy Rabin
Gaithersburg, MD
andyrab@wam.umd.edu


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   This morning (Saturday) at = around 9 at=20 Hughes Hollow in Montgomery County, MD a group of us saw a bird that was = very=20 likely either a Mississippi Kite or a Peregrine Falcon.  I hope = that after=20 reading this description some of you may have some input as to what it = is we=20 saw.
 
  I spotted it flapping and gliding a = good=20 distance away and my first impression was that it was a gull- curved = wings and a=20 slow graceful flapping.  When I got my binoculars on the bird I = couldn't=20 pick up much color due to the light, but it was a 'darkish' bird and = definitely=20 not a gull.  It had a flap-flap-flap-glide pattern like an = Accipiter, but=20 its wingbeats were too slow and its wings were pointed, ruling out that=20 family.  It was too big to have been a kestrel, and I think it's = too early=20 for it to have been a merlin.  Unfortunately I could not make out = any color=20 on the bird.  I know that pergrines breed in the area (although I = haven't=20 heard of any being seen in this neck of the woods) and there have been = plenty of=20 reports of mississippi kites lately.
 
    After some thought, I had = assured=20 myself that it was a kite, but after consulting with my most helpful = 'research=20 assistant', Howard Y., I began to lean more towards peregrine.  I = know this=20 isn't much to go on, but plenty of you have seen more kites and falcons = than I=20 and might be able to identify what we saw based on the above = information. =20 Either way, it was a great find for an otherwise slow and hot=20 morning.
 
Andy Rabin
Gaithersburg, MD
andyrab@wam.umd.edu
 
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