Peregrine on ice

Female Peregrine Falcon taking off from the George Washington Bridge
Photo by Cal Vornberger - 1/20/03

Below is Jack Meyer's report for Friday, February 9. [He posts a daily report on e-birds, a wonderful resource for Central Park birders and those who follow the park's bird life.] When I saw it I immediately sent him an e-mail . Below the report, my question and his answer.

DATE: Friday, 9 February 2007
LOCATION: Central Park

Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Ruddy Duck (Lake, 2.)
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon (Eating prey on the ice at the reservoir.)
American Coot (Reservoir, 8 in small bit of open water.)
American Woodcock (Point.)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble.)
Downy Woodpecker (Feeders, 3 or 4.)
Blue Jay
American Crow
American Robin
European Starling
Swamp Sparrow (Hernshead.)
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird (Feeders.)
Rusty Blackbird (Riviera.)
Common Grackle
House Finch (Several.)
American Goldfinch (Feeders 2 or 3.)
House Sparrow

I wrote:

Jack,
Wasn't there a peregrine on the ice yesterday as well? What's going on?


Jack's answer:

The previous instance was Wednesday, reported by Ardith & Alice. Perhaps it has found an easy food source. I wonder if it scares the ducks up from the very small puddle of open water (today smaller than Azalea Pond), then nails one. According to what I've read & heard, they never take sitting ducks. It was too far out today to tell what it had, except that it seemed pretty big.

While I watched the Peregrine, a Red-tail made a low pass over the reservoir, but stayed well away from the falcon.