FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Hawks on B.R. Parkway

["Syon Abbey" <syonabbey@xxxxxxxx>]

VA-Birders,
Between about 11 am and 12:30 there were a few raptors moving past the 
monastery:

Black Vulture  2
Turkey Vulture  15
Harrier  2
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk  8

I saw the most amazing sight after lunch. I was walking down our road and heard 
a great crow commotion, and saw a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on top of a crow, 
right in the middle of the road. It had the crow pinned to the pavement, but 
the crow was still very much alive and 7 more crows were doing their best to 
scare the hawk off. I stood very still and watched this scene for a couple of 
minutes. The hawk pecked at the crow a few times, but then all of a sudden took 
off and the wounded crow flew off with no serious injury apparent.

A flock of 16 Rusty Blackbirds flew over this afternoon. There are still a few 
Towhees and Chipping Sparrows in the woods, as well as a Hermit Thrush, a 
Mockingbird (surprisingly rare up here) and 5 Fox Sparrows.

Father John
Blue Ridge Parkway
Franklin County
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