October 9th, 2005. East Meadows, Northampton, MA.
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(Tundra) Peregrine Falco peregrinus tundrius.
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a few interesting birds around after yesterday’s downpour, but notably
fewer sparrows with Savannah Sparrow numbers way down from October 6th.
East Meadows highlights (08:30 - 11:30hrs);
Green-winged Teal - 37. (No full males) at Swan Pool (now with lots of water).
PEREGRINE - 1 beautiful juvenile female of the tundra form ‘tundrius’ chasing
a Killdeer near the Red Barn. Quite different from the locally bred
juveniles being much paler overall, with very noticeable cream crown,
thinner moustacials and eyestripe, and pale creamy tips to the
upperpart feathers especially the tertials. This bird also had an
extensive creamy tip to the tail. The bird settled in a field for a
while after failing to catch the Killdeer. These images are not the
best, but do give an impression of this distinctive form of Peregrine.
Well illustrated in ‘big’ Sibley, p.133.
Merlin - 1
Northern Harrier - 4 juveniles.
Killdeer - 32
Wilson’s Snipe - 7
DUNLIN - 1 called about 8 times as it flew south at 09:55hrs.
Tree Swallow - 8+
Field Sparrow - 2
White-crowned Sparrow - 1 first-winter.
Near the Hampshire Mall, Hadley.
1 Pectoral Sandpiper and about 50 Killdeer.
| NB. Tundra Peregrines
are long distance migrants that breed across Arctic Canada and winter as far south as Argentina in Latin America. October is an excellent month to look for passage birds of this form in New England. Click here for images of another bird seen in Keene, NH on October 16th, 2004.
| | Taken using Canon Powershot A-95 through Leica 10x42 binoculars. |
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