[TN-Bird] Three Falcon Species and Northern Goshawk (Union County, TN)

On  September 28, 2007 between 10:00  / 10:15AM until around 11:00AM this
morning Rebecca and I were fortunate enough to observe the following on
Panoramic Drive.....an adult Kestrel attempting to dive bomb an adult Merlin
which was perched on the very top of a utility pole.  The Merlin was not at
all fascinated nor interested in the Kestrel's attempt so the Kestrel
decided to give up and move on.  We watched the Merlin on top of the utility
pole for a good 15 to 20 minutes while preening, and/or stretching out one
of her feet and just generally resting.  All the while she was very aware of
us and her surrounding's.  Just after we thought we had seen the best bird
of the day we decided to move on when I spotted what I thought was a hawk
perched in a tree directly in front of us.  To both of our astonishment we
almost simultaneously blurted out it's an adult Peregrine Falcon. What sites
to behold so we just stood there and watched the Peregrine before us with
the Merlin still perched behind us.  At this point we thought we had died
and gone to heaven when we then heard from up above us a very unfamiliar
call of another bird.  Rebecca noticed the Merlin taking notice of this bird
and so did we.....We watched this bird fly and light in a tree for just a
few minutes.  Then suddenly low and behold what appeared to be a Northern
Goshawk was calling and flying around all of us!!!  Then suddenly the Merlin
disappeared, the Peregrine decided to move on, and the Goshawk continued
calling and flying out of sight.  After we caught our breath we immediately
took the time to listen to our "Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs" to verify
the Northern Goshawk's call.  The very unfamiliar call we had just heard was
suddenly apparent to both of us...yes it was definitely a Northern Goshawk.
On our way out we then saw a couple of Kestrel's and one of them was
lucky....it had a chipmunk in it's talons while perched on the electrical
wire.  It decided to move on to a tree for a more convenient place to enjoy
lunch.
What a Wonderful and Unbelievable way to start the day!!!

Birding location on Panoramic Drive
N 36 degrees / 18.729'
W 083 degrees / 46.965'
Elevation 1,540 feet

Directions are as follows:
Hwy 33 North of Maynardville, TN
Left on Hwy 170  (Hickory Valley Road)
Right on Ridge Road
Right on Jess Perry Road
Left on Sugar Camp Lane
Left on Panoramic Drive

Also of interest in the same general area we approximately 50 plus
Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks and one immature Bald Eagle

Stephen and Rebecca Satterfield
Luttrell, TN - Union County


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