This is actually reporting on activity from yesterday morning as I was just
reviewing pictures. About 9:20 a.m. the Prairie Falcon darted and trailed
another fast moving “Falcon” West towards the N. Royal Street/across the train
tracks. They darted so fast and low that it was a challenge to distinguish the
lead bird — which I initially thought was a Peregrine Falcon after reviewing my
small camera screen. I now see that it actually was a Merlin
(http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-rzKqxJG/A , ;
http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-MF5P8P7/A). I couldn’t get
both in the same picture at the same time as it was too quick of an event and
barely had time to lift my camera. This was the Prairie Falcon going by a
second later (http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-XhhV9pp/A).
Not sure if those that were bird watching from the Potomac River side even had
a chance to see that event.
I had noted, on e-bird, that I had viewed a Merlin on Saturday at Daingerfield
Island at about 11:30 a.m
(http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-Jz26jR4/A). I also
spotted what appeared to be the same Saturday Merlin on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. at
Daingerfield Island as I was heading to the Alexandria Power Plant
(http://www.haussparrow.com/Photography/Newly-Added/i-cWPk3Mj/A). This
particular sighting was more in the swamp area than the Saturday sighting
(closer to the marina parking lot) and probably less than a quarter mile away
from the Potomac River Generator Station. It is my guess that this could have
very well been the same bird that was chased by the Prairie Falcon.
Just in case this info may help with anyone’s identification of a scene they
might have caught only a glimpse of.
Regards,
Todd Kiraly
Arlington, VA
