Day 38 - The Shaheen falcon of MRC Nagar

 Maya, the Shaheen falcon has been around since May 29th/30th this year.  

27th July, and as we entered MRC Nagar, I saw Kumar positioned with scope and camera at our Shaheen spotting corner.

I jumped out of the car, and joined him to take a look via the scope. 

Maya was on her ledge, it was 827 am, and she seemed to be just resting.  Kumar then mentioned that she had come back with a parakeet kill and had been feeding.  She seemed to be taking a break.  Or had she finished.  830 am - and she began eating furiously!  

The Shaheen is not a long distance migrant, but they do migrate within the region, with the monsoon winds.  Chennai visits are between May and September.  

They have adapted to urban environments, enjoying taller buildings which give them perches from which they stoop down on their prey - pigeon and parakeet mainly.  They breed in the Western Ghats, between December and April.

A good way to keep the pigeon population in check, I mused, as I watched her feed.

I am looking forward to GK's talk on the Falcons of Chennai!