FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Sharp-shinned Nabs Starling

["Roger Mayhorn" <mayhorn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A couple of days ago, as my wife and I were driving around the top of Compton 
Mt on our way to a meeting, we saw a flock of blackbirds suddenly become 
airborne in a hay field on our right. Within a couple of seconds a very small 
(probably male) Sharp-shinned had a starling in its talons and had dropped onto 
the highway about 30 feet in front of us. There was no traffic, so I came to a 
stop. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera.

The adult Sharp-shinned was so small it looked at first glance as if a small 
Mourning Dove was attacking the starling. Watching it through the binoculars, I 
could see that the hawk had the starling on its back, but the starling wasn't 
giving up without a fight. It kept trying to peck at the hawk, but the hawk 
wouldn't put its head in range of that sharp bill. The hawk kept shifting its 
weight and  using its talons. 

This went on for about  a full minute, until the farmer, who owns the property, 
came riding around the edge of the field on his tractor. The hawk then lifted 
into the air, still clutching the starling. It glided off about 40 yards to the 
left into another hay field, where it settled into the grass to finish off its 
prey. The farmer, a friend and neighbor, saw the hawk take to the air with the 
starling. He knows we are birders, so he just smiled and waved as we drove past.

Roger Mayhorn
Compton Mt
Buchanan County