A Hawk in Philly

“Had a hawk hanging out on a pole outside my office window earlier this afternoon. It flew off too quickly to get a good look at it. It flew into a pine tree and sat on a branch. Must have been checking out the tree rats that run along the power lines.”

“I have a peregrin falcon as a neighbor.

I am on the 20th floor. It rides the currents, cruising between buildings. If I don't spot it, I often spot the waves of pigeons rising off the roofs of buildings near me.

There is a pair of them. They cruise like sharks. Dark, sleek, with the very distinctive black eye patch thingy.

they have stopped many phone conversations dead while I watch them jet by.”

“Yeah, the first thought is, "Man, that hawk has poor taste," but the food supply is available here, so why not?

Saw a tree rat on the way to work this morning that was fat, and at the end of winter, no less. I think we can spare a few of them.”

“There is a cam.






”

“Where in Philly? Im in DE...”

“NW Philly.”

“outside my office window i will see hawks, falcons and in winter an eagle or two. no rats though, just deer mice with haunta (sp)virus”

“Hanta.”

“im looking for a new jon. You hiring up there? :)”

“i can spell the mystery illness”

“No, we don't hire people looking for new jons. Have you tried working the streets?

Seriously though, no, I've got my people chained to their desks. They're not going anywhere.”

“How about a Hawk in Easton?
I caught this guy hunting down your old nemesis, Psycho Squirrel.

”

“Amazing shot Pennsy. I saw that tail dangling there.

It's still amazing to see hawks in the big city. They have been coming back though, and with a rampant squirrel population should be on the upswing here. I've seen them outside the city along Turnpike and interstates, casing out the road from trees, waiting for rodents to scurry across the highway. Not exactly the healthiest way for a hawk to get lunch though.

Amazing What cutting out DDT use has wrought.

They are posting info about Eagle sightings on the bulletin board outside the Delaware Water Gap visitor center now. Quite a few sightings in the gap and along the river.”

“that's an old one of mine, and I resurrect it every once in a while. Speaking of the Delaware River, that was only a few yards from it.

I saw a bald eagle recently in the Gap, and I often see hawks, mostly red-tails, hanging out on top of highway light posts.”

“Caught this one a few days ago on my commute. He's perched atop a 15' fence pole and I'm in the car about 20' away. I'll admit, they are quite common, but still cool!

”

“Dang, that's one sharp photo Mike. You can almost make out what he had for lunch.”

“Well, if I was any closer I could have been hit by his "leftovers". He started ruffling his feathers and I thought he was ready to take off, so I started shooting. Instead I see this white stuff squirting out his backside. Glad I was far away!

Yes, I do have the picture.”

“Sweet pic! Geo, I think he's stalkin one of Psycho's cuzzins.”

“Psycho is now up in Minnie's Soda with lizs. He left me and moved in with Humanpackmule and Treebait, then wore out his welcome there and moved in with lizs. He may be headed for Easton next.”