Pergrine falcons and turkey vultures

[helen...@gmail.com]

From the parking lot of the Westbrook Market Basket I noticed a flapping soaring bird over the empty lot area next door at the Rock Row development. I caught it in my tiny travel binoculars and thought it would be a Peregrine, but seemed perhaps too small, but far away was hard to tell. Looking more a second appeared. I looked through my bird book to check size and markings; when I looked up they were gone, but there was a Turkey Vulture! That one is unmistakeable, so then had a size comparison, so I do think they were Peregrines, their bellies shone quite light and bright in the sun. They mostly soared.

When I drove out later, I saw quite a large area of steep cliff in that area that I hadn't noticed before.

At home I looked on Google Earth and there is a good size dug out pond in the development. It has steep rock sides; it seems like a great hunting area, so I'm going to keep an eye out over there. Others should check it out!

Since much of the area is fenced off due to construction, It looks like you could get closer by going around and behind the Hampton Inn.