Clash of the Titans at Rios

A few days ago, I was birding on the nature trail off Manchester with a photographer friend when we both decided we would like to check out the Rios Ave Pole Road Trail to see if could find some raptors there. What we saw as we walked on the pole trail was quite intense and once again reminded me why I call Rios Pole trail " A Walk on the Wild Side" as we witnessed a clash between our resident "Big Red" the Red-tailed Hawk and the fastest bird in the world, the Peregrine Falcon.

Fellow birder/photographer Cindy and I just arrived at the trail-head at North Rios Ave when we saw a raptor flying towards the west side of the railroad tracks. We decided not to check out the peninsula trail but go directly to the Pole Road Trail. We hoped to see a raptor or two flying to one of the telephone poles.

Wanting to show Cindy a great spot for taking some close-ups of visiting shorebirds, we walked on the berm of the Salt-flats where we spotted a beautiful Lesser Yellowlegs feeding in the shallow pond area. 

As we were watching the Yellowlegs forage for food, a familiar call started to fill the air. Looking towards the railroad track, we noticed a raptor swooping and diving with lighting speed! Wow, that had to be the Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird in the world.

The Peregrine Falcon has been observed and clocked at a speed of 240 MPH !!  Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus measures 16 inches long with a wingspan of 41 inches. Here he is ready to swoop. The railroad tracks are visible at the bottom of this photo. All the action was happening on the west side of the railroad tracks and we couldn't see any of it except when the Peregrine climbed and swooped. This was frustrating!  Should we walk all the way back to the south corner and cross over to the west side of the railroad tracks? Will all the action be over by the time we hike over there? It would take us at least 10 minutes if we hurried.  Or should be stay put hoping that the Peregrine might bring his prey over to one of his favorite telephone poles?

I decided to stay while Cindy started to walk towards the south corner by the tracks when the Peregrine came flying over the tracks toward the nearest telephone pole! He is an outstanding hunter with a sleek and powerful build. Piercing dark big eyes that put fear in the birds that he flies past. The Peregrine comes screaming to the third pole past the pump station calling out in agitation.

 

He calls out over and over. The sounds of warning and alarm are unmistakable. "Kak, kak, kak"!!!

There is blood on his chest. Sometimes when a bird has made a kill and is in the process of consuming, the blood of the prey may get smeared on the predator... but this one on his chest looks like a fresh wound.

The Peregrine calls and calls "Kak, kak, kak" over and over making it very clear he is very agitated. There is no question to anyone hearing this sound that it is filled with threat and warnings. 

He focuses on something!. 

I am on the southwest side of the pole and he is ignoring me and just calling out continuously with a tone of urgency.

He flies off the pole still calling out warnings...

 

I am standing right under this magnificent raptor and his fighting calls fill the air and it is electrifying! My heart is pounding in anticipation of something bad is about to happen to something, someone, a clash is coming...

The alarm calls never stop as he flies towards his target. 

He is intense and loud... 

 Completely focused on his target.

Gathering speed.

Wings pump powerfully. "Kak, kak, kak"!!!!

He moves his head as his target moves too. 

 Veers to the right. 

 

Banks to the left.

 Now the climb...

 OMG! Look at this amazing dive!

 

I am trying my best to keep track of the Peregrine with my camera as he dives towards whoever is agitating him. 

 

Watching a Peregrine in a dive will take your breath away!

Holding my breath...

 Magnificent!

 Wow!

And here is the reason for all the warning calls and all the agitation. It's "Big Red", our resident Red-tailed Hawk coming into my camera's view.  She has just flown over the railroad tracks from the west. 

There is so much action but I need to stay on one subject. I pick the hawk for now. Her talons are out and she is ready for battle. 

 She hunches up and pumps her wings as she may be anticipating a strike. 

 

Spreads her wings showing her full size. Red Tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis measures 19 inches long with a wingspan of 49 inches. 

The Peregrine's call fill the air and now both raptors are in the same frame like prize fighters sizing each other up! The RTH appears to be heading south, the Peregrine still in an agitated fighting flight. 

 

More calls and the raptors are going in the same direction at about the same speed. 

But the Falcon isn't letting it go... the hawk decides to ready for an attack and changes course.

The Peregrine circles and swoops...

The RTH responds with outstretched wings and talons ready. 

The Red-tailed Hawk sees us walking nearby towards the pole and flies south. The Peregrine lands on the first pole north just past the pump house calling out his warning, "kak, kak, kak"!!. As I step sideways on the trail trying to keep up with all the action of the raptors, I almost stumble over this Ruddy Duck hiding in the shrub next to the pole trail. Why is he here? We leave him alone and keep walking towards the pole where the Peregrine has landed. 

I look up towards the big pine tree and spot the Red-tailed-Hawk. 

Standing on the west side of the pole, I take a few shots of the Peregrine still calling out with agitation.

He takes to the air again. Keeping my camera on the falcon as he passes overhead. 

The look is pure concentration. 

 

He is zeroed in on his target. 

Pumping his powerful wings to get speed. 

Wow, I am looking straight up.

He is absolutely beautiful.

 

Getting a look at his possible wound. 

 

He heads towards the pine and the Red-tailed Hawk moves away and lands on a telephone pole on the southwest side of the tree.

The Peregrine lands on the west pole north of the hawk. Now it becomes a stare down.

I scramble to a mound by the railroad track to get a better look at this showdown and see the lagoon on the west side of the railroad tracks are filled with lots of Ruddy Ducks.  But these three in the photo are something that I can't ID. What kind of ducks are these?

The RTH decides to move when she sees me and Cindy coming closer for a better shot. 

She moves to a large pine tree located in a nearby home. 

 

Thinking that this was the end of the clash of the titans, Cindy decides to head for home and I decide to go check out the lagoon area near HWY 101. I spot a biologist surveying the birds in the area and ask if she knew what made the Peregrine so agitated. She said that she spotted the RTH eating a fresh kill, a Ruddy Duck , and the kill may have been made by the Peregrine and the Red-tailed Hawk may have claimed it. She observed the Peregrine dive down on the RTH as she was mantled over the fresh kill and roll over on her back on the ground with talons stretched out towards the striking Peregrine. That may be the moment that the Peregrine may have been injured and the reason for the agitation by the Peregrine. I stood around for a while and chatted with the biologist and waited to see if the Peregrine would hunt again since he apparently lost his meal. 

As I stood talking to the biologist and looking towards the ocean, I noticed whale spouts directly out past the surf and there appeared to be a young calf with several adults. A paddle border also must have noticed how close those whales were and decided to get a closer look. Here he is paddling close to the youngster and the mother whale. 

 

We watched the whales quite a while and noticed the Peregrine had now calmed and quiet. I decided it was time to go but wanted to check and see what was happening to the Ruddy Duck I saw on the pole trail. I found her swimming in the pond nearby. Feeling good about the little ruddy, I decide to head for home.

 

As I approached the huge Torrey Pine tree on the south bank of the trail, "Big Red" makes an appearance soaring overhead and looking to the west of her. I looked for the Peregrine but he was gone. Took a few shots of Big Red and kept walking towards the trailhead. 

She shows off her magnificent wings.

 

She appears to stare at something out west but eventually heads southeast over the tall pine and disappears. I keep walking towards the overlook by the peninsula trail. 

When I reach the lookout by the peninsula trail, I scan the telephone poles on the pole trail with my 400mm lens and notice that a raptor has just landed with prey! I have already spent over three hours walking and observing the clash of the titans today and feeling quite exhausted but I needed to finish this story! Here I go again, walking... no!  I am now jogging towards the fourth pole past the pump station to see what raptor is on the post with prey!

Success! It's our Peregrine and he has made his kill and is finally getting to eat his fill. 

This duck feet is not to be wasted. Down the hatch. 

Pulling out the intestine and dropping it to the side. 

 

Hurrying and getting big bites . I watched for a while and noticed he was still wary of his surroundings and ate as fast as possible, gulping huge bits of the prey down as he looked up constantly checking to see if anyone was coming to steal this one!

I felt happy that the Peregrine was eating well and appeared to be strong and able to capture and dismantle this prey.  Even if he may have been injured in the clash with the Red-tailed Hawk, it didn't appear so bad as to hinder his survival. Let's hope for quick healing. I walked by the pond northwest of the pump house and found the little Ruddy hiding in the shade. What an incredible day it has been at Rios. I am so grateful to have been able to witness such interaction between the two titans of our bird world that visit our lagoon.Time for me to head home again. 

Have a super week everyone!