There Are Flying Falcons In the Uptown Skys! Look Up!

[orchidspider]

I know seasoned uptowners are already aware, but I was not until I was walking with Mr. Uptownliving and friends this past Sunday and saw a nice sized falcon following a flock of pigions. It looked from afar just like the Peregrines I'd seen up at Sam's Knob on the Black Balsam pull off on the Blue Ridge Mts, in Pisgah Forest. I spoke with John Macky, at Discovery Place, where I work and he said I was right. According to the CEO, we have Peregrine falcons and the smaller American Kestrel (our smallest falcon) thats very happy to feed on sparrows. A friend of mine at work, who's lived uptown for a while noted that the Peregrines live on the BOA tower. He remmered seeing them wiz by his window when he worked in the Duke Power bldg uptown years ago. So look up and see if you can find them! Also if anyone can get some pics of them and post them on here that would be REALLY cool!

[Charlotte_native]

We watch them hunt all the time from our balcony. One sits on top of our building often (230 S. Tryon) and zooms into the flocks. Best time is at dusk. I was also leaving the Harris Teeter at 5th & Poplar the other night and one flew right above me, nabbed a pigeon, and landed on a brick wall on the other side of the road with it. AMAZING bird.

[Justadude]

Kinda on-topic: I noticed last fall that there were literally hundreds, if not thousands, of bats flying around the tops of the uptown skyscrapers at night. I noticed this for one or two nights, but not since. Occasionally I'll see a single bat, maybe two... but nothing even close to the flocks that were circling last fall. Anyone know what was behind that surge, and if it's an annual event? Maybe we could have something similar to Austin's bat-based tourist industry

[Charlotte_native]

Kinda on-topic: I noticed last fall that there were literally hundreds, if not thousands, of bats flying around the tops of the uptown skyscrapers at night. I noticed this for one or two nights, but not since. Occasionally I'll see a single bat, maybe two... but nothing even close to the flocks that were circling last fall. Anyone know what was behind that surge, and if it's an annual event? Maybe we could have something similar to Austin's bat-based tourist industry

[Justadude]

I'll have to screw my eyes on tighter next time I'm in Charlotte, I've only spotted a bunch of them once or twice. In any case, the bat swarms look really cool, especially against an uplit white building. Definitely a "gotham" touch for uptown. Surely there is a way to turn this into a promo...

[Mobuchu]

I noticed them while sitting on the deck at RiRa's a couple weeks ago. They were swooping in and out from BofA's crown, catching the bugs that swarmed around the lights. Kinda eerie actually.

I'd love to see the falcons navigating the concrete canyons. Now there's a picture!

[Charlotte_native]

I'd love to see the falcons navigating the concrete canyons. Now there's a picture!