[obol] Backyard Hawk?

[Norgren Family]

I'm old enough to remember when the AOU
called Merlins "Pigeon Hawk". Than there's
their Latinate binomial-F. columbarius.
As for Sharpshins, one of my earliest posts
on Obol concerned a Sharpshin (juv) in SE
Portland that was routinely killing Rock
Doves. I encountered it flying with prey
in talons at the height of the hood of my
full sized American pickup. Despite its
best efforts it could gain no more altitude
and dropped the pigeon in the street. I moved
the dead bird to the sidewalk while the hawk
watched me from a porch roof. A week or two
later I found the hawk completely flattened
in the middle of a different residential street.
      Someone else responded that they saw a
Sharpshin catch a California Quail in midair and
continue flying.     Lars Norgren
On Mar 16, 2007, at 9:17 AM, Anne & Dan Heyerly wrote:

> I my posting yesterday I alluded to possibly a Sh-shinned or Cooper's 
> taking a couple of Rock Pigeons in our back yard. Anne reminded me 
> that a Merlin had strafed the back yard at least once just prior to 
> our finding the feather piles. I know Merlins are fearless and unaware 
> of size differences between themselves and possible prey, but could 
> one possibly succeed with a Rock Pigeon . . . . . twice? Come to think 
> of it, I doubt if a Sh-Sh could manage it, but definitely a Coop. 
> could.
> Dan Heyerly_______________________________________________
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