Speedy!

Peregrine falcon Earl Plato

It flew straight up at an amazing speed. I squinted my eyes in the bright sunlight, Then it dove and in a few seconds it passed from sight. Incredible. I had the image of a falcon. Rob Eberly called out, “It’s a peregrine!”
We were at Mud Lake on the outskirts of Port Colborne. Both of us had seen the peregrine falcons at Niagara Falls. With the “falcon” man Bob Chambers we had seen those wonderful birds up close. We had observed them soar upwards through the mists of the Horseshoe Falls and pluck a bird from the sky and return to their perch and feed their hatchlings.
I have had calls about the sighting of peregrine falcons this winter from people in the city. Bob Chambers has checked out a few of these calls from residents in the Falls and they turned out to be an Accipiter - a Sharp-shinned hawk who is also a great flier.
The usual method of the peregrine in catching its prey is to rise in spirals until it is above its victim and then to drop upon it. Those of you who watched “Amelia” in action at the Falls would no doubt agree with the peregrine’s method of securing food.
The late nature lover, Alvin R.Benner, of Sherkston had one of the most extensive volume on birds - Birds of America. I have that volume now in which I read William L. Finley’s article on the peregrine. Back then in 1936 the common name for this falcon was Duck hawk. Yes, it’s favourite food were ducks hence the name.
Finley wrote: “... considering the peculiar advantages the Duck Hawk (Peregrine falcon) possesses in the struggle for existence it is remarkable how comparatively rare it is.” That’s right. How excited were the people of Falcon Watch at Niagara Falls. Viewers from all over the world came to see these unique birds. I thought about this bird. Among birds it has no superior. I believe Bob Chambers would agree with that statement. Despite where our falcons nested on the ledge near the Falls it normally nests in an inaccessible location preventing animal depredation. How come there aren’t more of these birds?
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Sunday morning call just before going to church. It was naturalist Bob Chambers. “ Earl, we saw a pair of Bald eagles at the north end of Navy Island. One was larger than the other. That means a female and a male.” Female eagles are always larger than the male.
Bob did not see them from the Ussher Creek Crossing but at the entrance of the boat channel of Chippawa Creek. From here he could see them better as he looked south-east toward the island. There they were. Hopefully these majestic birds will make use of the Ministry nesting platform on the north end of the island. Keep looking Bob. The eagles are back.
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Bill Kieffer stopped in to tell me about the ospreys he saw in Florida. He stayed at Fort Meyers Beach and made the trip across the causeway to Sanibel Island. He said he went to “Ding” park. Of course, I know where he went - to Ding Darling Nature preserve. This is the home of alligators and birds. Several tall posts have been set up along the road. Each had a platform on it for nesting ospreys. Bill saw lots of them. This beautiful fish eating bird is smaller than the bald eagle.
A day later Al Valvo called. He too had just returned from Florida’s west coast. Al is a golfer and said, “Earl, I saw all kinds of ospreys.” Again I say, they are beautiful graceful fliers and adept fishermen, See any locally? I head northeast to the Kawartha Lakes to see mine.