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Thread: Peregrine Falcon???

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  1. #1
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    Default Peregrine Falcon???

    This was a bit of a new one for me yesterday, and trying to figure out what kind of bird this was. I assume it to be a peregrine falcon, but no clue about birds of prey and if they inhabit these parts.

    Wish i had video of this, purely for the comedic value. Maybe you had to be there, as the story really isnt all that funny as written, but got a chuckle out of it thinking back on it.

    Was on my tractor in Lancaster county, spraying a field in preparation for planting millet in a couple of weeks. I know, i know - Millet sucks, but i plant it anyway.

    I noticed a couple of birds gliding around above me, but didnt think anything of it. Out of no where, i see this bird hauling ass and it dive bombs me - flies about 10 feet over top of me while i am poking along on the tractor. Scared the shit out of me. It came back a couple of times and i headed for the woods road, to get away from the thing. I gave it a minute and they appeared to leave, so went back about my spraying in the field. I could see the two birds and they were a good ways away, but damn if they didnt come right back and start going after me again.

    I thought they are just trying to startle me to get me to leave, but i wasnt 100% sure. The only thing i had on the tractor was a hammer in the tool box, so my sorry ass is riding around with a hammer in my hand trying to get my spraying done while watching these birds swoop down on me. I figured i'd take a swing at them with the hammer if it came to that.

    Finally bailed, and went to another smaller field that i needed to spray. They appeared to be gone - went back to the prior field 30 minutes or so later and we went for round three.

    With the exception of me being the target, it was pretty cool to see these birds in action. They would climb to 150-200 feet or so i am guessing and then beat their wings a few times towards the ground and then lock up headed straight down. Since read that they are the fastest animal on earth and i believe it.... if that is in fact what they were. Also saw videos of them taking down ducks and even one tangling with a bald eagle.

    Anyone ever had this sort of encounter? the Interweb says that they inhabit "north America", but cant really find any specifics about them being in and around here.

  2. #2
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    They are here and around more than people think.

  3. #3
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    Sure they weren't mocking birds or blue jay's?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by StrutnBPS View Post
    Sure they weren't mocking birds or blue jay's?
    Definitely not either of those. They werent quite as big as a hawk, but not all that much smaller.

  5. #5
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    Mississippi Kite? They like fields.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by CreekGeek View Post
    Mississippi Kite? They like fields.
    This

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  7. #7
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    kite was my first guess but i was up near my dove field last year and heard a very interesting noise. like a missile coming out of the sky. I looked up and caught a glimpse of a greyish bird diving after something before it veered off. I sat there wondering wtf I just saw...but i sure as hell wasnt wasting my time w millet, fwiw.

    it was bigger than a mockingbird and certainly smaller than your typical hawk or kite.
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  8. #8
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    Kites.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  9. #9
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    what kind of kite is smaller than a kite and grey?

    you cant even catch a dolphin
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2thDoc View Post
    what kind of kite is smaller than a kite and grey?

    you cant even catch a dolphin
    I’m coming to Columbia soon so you can scrub my teeth and get cussed out.

    I’ll explain all sorts of things to you, and decide at the end of the scrubbing whether I like you enough to give you some dolphin.
    Be proactive about improving public waterfowl habitat in South Carolina. It's not going to happen by itself, and our help is needed. We have the potential to winter thousands of waterfowl on public grounds if we fight for it.

  11. #11
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    Peregrines nest on cliffs, and sometimes on high rise buildings. So, unless you were planting at the base of a cliff, or a skyscraper, probably not peregrine falcons.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by GMAC View Post
    Peregrines nest on cliffs, and sometimes on high rise buildings. So, unless you were planting at the base of a cliff, or a skyscraper, probably not peregrine falcons.
    This is not completely true. Peregrines inhabit pretty much the entire United States including the mid west. Which most of it has neither.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by GMAC View Post
    Peregrines nest on cliffs, and sometimes on high rise buildings. So, unless you were planting at the base of a cliff, or a skyscraper, probably not peregrine falcons.
    I know a guy that works with cargo ships that routinely sees peregrines sitting on the corner of boxes picking off birds. They'll stay on the boats until they get 20-30 miles offshore.

  14. #14
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    and I'm fairly certain they can fly, too.



    but the kite's werent attacking the OP, either. they were eating bugs.
    but let's not fix everything this morning. we still have to get woodie's wife a new car that doesnt smell too clean.
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  15. #15
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    Where they inhabit, and where they breed, are two different things. Peregrines do not nest in trees.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by GMAC View Post
    Where they inhabit, and where they breed, are two different things. Peregrines do not nest in trees.

    May mate for life. Territorial and courtship displays include high circling flight by male, spectacular dives and chases by both sexes. Male feeds female. Breeding Peregrines defend the immediate area of the nest from intruders, but hunt over a much larger area. Nest site is usually on cliff ledge, sometimes in hollow of broken-off tree snag or in old stick nest of other large bird in tree. In some areas, may nest on ground on hilltop. Also uses ledges of buildings, bridges, other structures. Some sites may be used for many years. No nest built, eggs laid in simple scrape.

    Really because Audubon says they will nest pretty much anywhere but prefer cliffs. It’s not a certain.

  17. #17
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    Sounds like they might have been defending a nest or young so, as GMAC says, they weren't peregrine falcon. Maybe marsh hawks, depending on where you were, or chuck will's widows/whip poor wills. Or, as others have said, kites, but it doesn't totally sound like kites to me.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

  18. #18
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    Maybe night hawk?


    Tyler Simmons wasn’t offsides. 1-9-2018
    Isaiah Bond didn’t catch the ball. 12-2-2023

  19. #19
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    My vote is like 2th said... eating bugs you scared up. Kites. We have had a ton around the range.
    "Only accurate rifles are interesting " - Col. Townsend Whelen

  20. #20
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    Let’s simplify this.


    Which one did you see?


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