Backyard and Beyond

Last night, as sunset approached, I noticed something atop St. Michael’s at 4th Avenue and 42nd St. It was a Peregrine falcon.
At the same time, I saw something on the closer large antenna at 5th and 40th: it was another Peregrine! Double trouble, indeed! But it got better. The antenna Peregrine flew off and an American Kestrel male, who regularly perches on this antenna, showed up. Then the Kestrel left and the Peregrine returned.
Then the Kestrel showed up on the chimney pot, which is closer to 6th Ave. Both Peregrines disappeared.
While the Kestrel was on the chimney pot, a vocal Merlin flew up to the bare ailanthus behind the solar building, something like 100 feet from the chimney pot.
So, in approximately 35 minutes, I saw four members of the Falco genus, representing three species. It was amazing.
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Morning edition 7:50 a.m.: a female and male American Kestrel have been seen together on the car service antenna and a TV antenna further up 40th Street.