Curious Raptors at Fort Buenaventura

["Kristin Purdy" <kristinpurdy at comcast dot net>]

Thirty-five to forty feet was the magic range to observe curious raptors 
at Fort Buenaventura in Ogden, Weber County, this morning.  Three 
different raptors were as interested in ogling me as I was in ogling 
them.    

The first raptor I ran into was a surprise Peregrine Falcon.  I sure 
didn't expect to see this species along the Weber River and next to a 
dense stand of Cottonwoods. I was walking the River Trail not paying 
particular attention ("Do-dee-do-dee-do-dee-do")--when I saw a couple 
small splats of whitewash on the path.  I looked up to locate the 
favorite perch and saw a Peregrine about 35 feet directly over my head.  
This bird must have watched me walk around the curve in the river until 
I stopped under the perch.  

The falcon clung tenuously to a dead Cottonwood branch.  Those long 
yellow toes just didn't wrap well around that skinny stick.  
The bird twisted to look over its shoulder and down at me.  I had a 
shortened perspective of the back-tail-vent area that made the bird look 
like a midget falcon.  It was an adult (yellow cere, orbital ring and 
legs/feet) and the lightest Peregrine I've ever seen.  I felt fairly 
certain this bird was of the subspecies Falco peregrinus tundrius even 
if that seems quite improbable this early in the migration season.  (The 
most common subspecies in Utah at all times of year is F.p. anatum.  
Raptors of Western North America terms tundrius 'very uncommon', but 
says adult tundrius migrate from Arctic breeding grounds as early as 
mid- to late-August).  The hood was a charcoal gray instead of blackish; 
the back appeared a washed-out paler shade of gray as if worn.  The 
barring on the leg feathers was indistinct gray with no buffy tones to 
the whitish background color.  Unfortunately, I didn't get a look at the 
breast.  I moved backward to get a better view of the back.  The falcon 
and I eyeballed each other for 30 seconds to a minute.  Then the bird 
launched into the air and veered away over the Cottonwoods with powerful 
slicing strokes.  

The second species of curious raptor was the Cooper's Hawk.  Fort 
Buenaventura is the second Cooper's Hawk breeding location I've been 
watching this year.  On my first two visits this summer, I found a 
Cooper's Hawk feather in the exact same place.  On the third visit to 
that spot, I saw lots of Cooper's Hawk feathers, but they were all 
contained on three highly mobile and vocal young hawks.  I saw an adult 
the same day. 

This morning I simply headed to the park and listened for the begging 
call always repeated two to four times.  The call sounds very much like 
a weak and scratchy Say's Phoebe whistle without the stutter.  Anyway, I 
found two of the three young that way and then played a little game with 
these unwary and curious birds.  Each individual was in a separate area 
of the park and perched (or flew in and landed over my head while I just 
stood there) on a fairly stout horizontal branch.  Both were 35-40 feet 
above me.  One was dining as I maneuvered on the ground.  Purely by 
accident, I noticed how curious this bird was.  I moved to the other 
side of the branch to get a view of the tail...and the bird turned 
around to continue to watch me.  So I moved back to the original spot 
and the bird turned again.  We did this a few times; he or she curious; 
me testing.  

I did the same thing intentionally with the second bird.  When I first 
moved below the other side of the branch, the bird leaned so far over 
backwards to watch me I was sure those gripping talons were doing their 
work.  But then it turned around, and turned around again, and turned 
around again as I slowly walked back and forth.  What a nosy little 
bugger.  I figured three turns was enough to test the theory and then I 
left the bird to pirouette no more.  

The park produced other great birds today--an Ash-throated Flycatcher--a 
bird I see only rarely; three Wood Ducks; Plumbeous and Cassin's Vireos 
(one or the other was singing across a swamp and both came to me in 
response to a recording); a Western Tanager; Western Wood-pewee still 
singing; Belted Kingfishers rattling incessantly and highly visible up 
and down the river; Lazuli Buntings; Black-chinned Hummingbirds and 
loads of other common stuff.

To reach Fort Buenaventura, Take I-15 to exit 342 (new numbering system) 
at 24th Street.  Drive a mile east and turn right (south) on "A" Street. 
 You'll see the entrance to the park and Raptors Field on the left.  The 
fort is located south of Raptors Field and requires a $1.00 entrance 
fee.  Pretty good birding today for a buck.  

Kris

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