The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-20
BIRD CHASEs In THE AIR.
The Hawks Pursuit of Ducks and the
Like.
Forest and Stream.

Forest and Stream.
We read how fast SOM ducks fly, the can
vasback well in front; who shall tell us how
the fleeing bird? Any one who has shot
greenwing teal as they come in from the
dusk will concede that their flight is more
like that of a baseball thrown with snipe-
like variations than anything else.
The Puyollup meadows opposite Ia
coma were once a fine place for teal shoot
ing; facing the west one has the benent
of the twilight and can see his birds IN
time to make calculations for a shot. The
principal marshes of the sound do face. the
sunset, while those of Hoods canal do
not. In estimating rates Of speed, size or
body and uncertain light have something TO
Co with apparent velocity. the sudden APP
pearance and disappearance of a small
bird giving the impression of going like
falcon must be able to double his speed
when he makes his closing EFFORT. In one
case / was watching for teal and one passed
behind came a peregrine, which caught its
game In the next seventy yards. rms
bird fairly whizzed as it went by and APP
peared very round-breasted, like a pouter
pigeon. The birds flew so quickly that L
had no time TO bring my gur TO bear on
either.
Greenwings seem to be a favorite game,
probably on account of their convenient
size. 1t never seemed TO me that they were
never saw one try to dodge. / r~ecollect
once seeing a pintail that knew something
was after him, and he had a full head OF
tuck for three hundred yards and was won
by the duck, the falcon giving up the chase.
Unfortunately ! did not see the beginning,
but / suppose he did not get near enough
to make his dash reach, and, having made
it. he could not sustain the speed long
enough.
to a falcon. My brother Phil had one SO
taken at Deer lagoon, on WILDLY Island.
1t was a bufiehead which species often
Guiliemots do the same. ] have never seen
a maillard pursued by a hawk of any kind.
appears. on the Nisqually flats 1 have seen
an acre or so Of widgeons dive with sucn
regularity as a hawk sailed over them that
edge of the flock and ran across to the
other. as though one single sea had rolled
through the pack
chance of escape when once singled out.
They, however, are mostly pursued by the
smaller falcons, the peregrine or lanier
chased by hawks, and the only instance
7 recall took place over the Puyaliup
Il perhaps 200 feet; a small hawk closed
n with him and he lowered, going up
fifty feet perpendiculariy: Inns Was re
same level. until the snipe was so mgr l
could no longer see him. The hawk came
down without succeeding and began beating
up the meadows afresh.
Meadow larks are often caught. their
abundance and regular flights making them
an easy target for the small falcons. Il
use the word hawk sometimes In speaking
of this bird, which is a sparrow hawk ana
nests in an old stub like the mottled owl.
I saw such a nest, with young In IL, on
the road TO the Deschutes river. ~i
In thirty years with a gun L nave never
| seen a bald eagle chase a duck, but nave
several times seen them pursue the silver
gull. probably for something the gull had
rather than for the bird itself. The eagle
has the reputation of killing ducks. and as
| careful a writer as Captain Mayne Reid de-
| scribes the killing of a swan by a pair
| While In Maryland, on the Little Chop
tank river. I met a gentleman who as
to wild fowl, and,h he systematically hunted
them with a rife. In the eastern part
| of Massachusetts. along the Agawam river.
| they are quite plenty during the herring
run.