Peregrine Precision~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES

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Peregrines dive as if in a dream,
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snatching birds in mid-flight,

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landing to administer the coup de grace.
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Mantling prey on the ground for seconds,

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they soon return to rule the skies!

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Cheers to you from the lightening-fast-Falcons~

Note: Peregrine Falcons are the fastest-moving creatures on earth and have been clocked diving at up to 242 mph!

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328 thoughts on “Peregrine Precision~”

  11. I am very impressed that you managed to get A photo, let alone a half dozen excellent ones!
    Years ago, when we lived in SC, a peregrine falcon chased a cardinal into one of our sliding doors … knocked itself out and broke the cardinal’s neck – HUGH BANG – I about had a heart attack upon seeing what I thought was a dead peregrine toes up on my deck… I went to get a shovel, but when I returned, both peregrine and cardinal were gone.
    After that, small birds frequently hit that window, but the peregrine never made that mistake a 2nd time … obviously did use the information to its advantage, though.

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    1. WOW! They are very intelligent and your story affirms this. So they used the glass after that mishap to stun prey. Amazing! I have seen them kill two birds in the air who dropped to the ground. I went to check on the birds who appeared to have broken necks. I did some work around the house and when I went to pick them up, they were gone!! They are incredible stealth fliers!

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      1. Exactly! That is why I am so impressed that you managed to get six photos! I tried to get a photo of that bird for years – never even captured a blurry tail feather.

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        1. We typically have around 200 or so birds hanging out close to The Holler’s feeders and water station. When Peregrines are in the sky, they all mysteriously vanish and silence reigns!

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  18. A fierce looking beauty! 🙂 Especially in the first two pictures… After some food he/she seems more relaxed, though… or is that only my impression? 😉
    Is the last one the same bird?

    Grts
    Nil

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    1. I think you are correct. They mantle their food, which is hovering over it with their wings covering the prey. I definitely noticed a more relaxed demeanor aftet the prey was consumed. He may have felt he no longer had to defend it since it was in his stomach! The last bird is different~

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    1. Really! Wow! The only time I have found nests was when we were rafting down the Grand Canyon, They nested in the cliffs of the marble canyon and played the jet stream of our raft as we hurtled through the rapids. They are stunning creatures!

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    1. Yes they are especially amazing to watch flying. We live on a mountain and they plummet from high altitude and snatch birds out of oak trees. Every once in a blue moon, you can see them still, but it is so rare. All the birds, even the hummers are terrified of them.

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  26. Beautifully captured – as usual! The peregrines once were on the verge of extinction here in Sweden, but are coming back due to effective work from nature lovers.

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  28. We have them in downtown Boise. They were reintroduced in town, but Idaho always had them. There is even a live camera on the Simplot Building where you can watch the babies hatch and grow up.

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    1. Oh that is so cool. I have never seen where they nest at The Holler. I did see nests on the cliffs of the Grand Canyon when we rafted down it, but those are the only nests I’ve ever seen. I will look for the video from the Simplot Building.

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      1. Falcons are incredible raptors. The Egyptians trained falcons and used them for falconry and adorned their temples with images of them. Like hummingbirds they are incredible fliers and seem to touch humans on a deeply symbolic level. I can see why a movie featuring falcons would leave such a lasting impression on you~

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        1. I knew Falcons were fast but had not realized they could fly at speeds over 200 miles an hour…that’s incredible. I learned a lot about letting wild and free creatures be wild and free in their natural environment when I lived in Arizona. When you grow up in rural forests or urban concrete you don’t see wildlife living as it is natural for it to do. In the desert you see everything…nature in the raw. I realized that the day I saw a Roadrunner smash a baby Gambel Quail on a rock…I didn’t intervene…nature can appear to be cruel but the Roadrunner was simply surviving. It was a tremendous lesson to me…to let nature be nature…when human instinct says rush in and save the bird.

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          1. Yes, it is a quite a learning curve to move from the city or suburbs to a wild place. I thought I made the wrong decision for about a year. I was afraid of the coyote packs, the rattle snakes. the coydogs and the black widow spided. Now I just take precautions, and photos! Living in a wild space is very good for one’s psyche. The wild animals teach you how to live, so I understand exactly what you are saying.

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  32. I think you must have made a deal with the bird gods, to so consistently get so close to the various species. Even with a big lens, those are impressive close-ups.

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    1. It is an amazing story that tells us how close we came to almost annhilating this species. They went from near extinction to now being the most prevalent raptor species in the world. I can see why they made such an impressive comeback, they are perfectly designed for what they do. Perfectly designed for everything except the DDT that almost brought them to extinction.

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  41. Incredible images of some incredible raptors here Cindy! These are so up close that I can see the texture in the feathers! I trust you’ve seen the YouTube video of a Peregrine Falcon that dives down and gives a Red-Tailed Hawk a surprise bump from above as the hawk was flying too close to the falcon’s nest. They preform such incredible feats! 😀

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    1. No I haven’t seen that but I will google it now. I haven’t seen the falcons hassle the hawks at The Holler but if they were near a nest it wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t know where the falcons nest here. I would love to know…..

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      1. I think it is the beak, the eyes, and claws that let one know these birds are ones that can take care of themselves, like the eagles, and others like their kind. It is so amazing to see the built in defensiveness these birds and all animals have. With the close up pictures and details seen in them one can appreciate them more I think. They are magnificent creatures.

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        1. There is something about them that is so impressive, both in the sky, and in their eyes and morphology. I think it may be this sense of supreme mastery of what they they do. They are flying predators. But it is also the look in their eyes of intelligence. I just am blown away my what you said, the magnificence of raptors.

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