Sorry to top post my own message, but... Now there are two different peregrine falcons that visit the backyard regularly. One is banded but I haven't gotten close enough to get the number off the band. The other is not banded ... now that it is Spring, could this be a mate? In any case, I reported the information on the banded bird as above, and will be watching to see if I have any other substantial information to send to the banding studies. The unbanded bird seems to have great hunting skills. It hangs out in a little hiding hole on the fence during the last 2 hours of daylight, very patiently and still, then systematically dives into nearby evergreen shrubs to try and catch a meal. It was successful tonight. I love it.

Thanks, I love the pictures.

I'll go with the Coopers hawk also. Peregrines and kestrels have the black eye patches [mature]I believe learned that all falcons have the black face markings as adults

It is a really interesting book. I read it several years ago after reading a message from Barbara on this forum. Last weekend I saw first hand results from the recovery of the peregrines. I went to Washington Monument State Park near Boonsboro to try and spot some migrating raptors. I saw several hawks but no peregrines. I then went to a Ravens football game where I did see a peregrine. A peregrine was floating around above Ravens stadium. It got so close to where I was sitting that I could see it very easily without binoculars. I think the peregrine was trying to figure out what happened to the pigeons that were hanging out at the stadium the previous day, and where did all these people come from. The peregrine even landed on one of the light stands. Richard