Incoming,
at 88 mph!
I duck,
he nails his prize,
and promptly mantles so I won’t steal it.
Saker Falcons have been falconry birds for 1000’s of years.
They are an endangered species, native across Central Europe to China.
This is Katie Pnewski, a brilliant and comitted bird trainer,
and bird lover, who works at Avian Behavior International,
a conservation and bird advocacy organization near The Holler in rural Southern California.
I spent an incredible day here today, and will be introducing you to more of their amazing birds and conservation efforts in my next posts. For more on this worthwhile organization see:
https://avian-behavior.org/about-us/conservation/
Cheers to you from the phenomenal Saker Falcon and his devoted human~
Share this:
Discover more from Cindy Knoke
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
What an experience! Thanks for sharing. 😎
They have so many species of super happy, friendly and outgoing birds. I was so impressed. They free their macaws all over the back country with no trackers and they always choose to come back დ
Amazing!
Yes!
Ditto
დდ
Wow Cindy, the photos are fantastic! I hope this specie recovers, such a beautiful bird. ☺️🥰
Thank you John. Seeing the speed and precision of it’s flying up close was mind boggling დ
Your photography is beautiful, Cindy! ❤️
Humbled John დ
Amazing!
დდ
Amazing!
Yes!! I was seriously impressed with these comitted women and their work დ
What a gorgeous bird! Thank you for the stunning photos, Cindy, and mad props to Katie for training them! 💖
Katie, Hilary and Sydney, an all female operation of truly awesome individuals დ
Hmmm, I think my comment got eaten, but I’ll wait to see if it reappears later before I post again.
WP Gremlins never sleep…..
LOL! So true!
დდ
That would be a Wow day for me!
It definitely was for me. They have this bird sanctuary that is simply wonderful დ
Wow, what a magnificent bird and amazing experience.
It was an awesome. They free fly free macaws all over the back country who come back on their own volition დ
Wow! This Falcon caught my attention. Amazing images 👌
I could not believe his speed. He literally moved like lightening დ
😊
Awesome photos and experience!
It was an incredible day! They free fly a variety of macaws all over the back country. No monitors, nothing. The birds always come back because they love their home დ
Freedom and a home base. Doesn’t get much better than that. 💖
My thoughts exactly.
Fascinating and beautiful photos! ♥.
I am so happy you enjoyed them Niki & thanks for letting me know დ
This must have been fascinating to watch – what a beautiful looking bird it is too!
It was an incredible day! They have the most amazing variety of birds and the most wonderful sanctuary for them დ
Amazing, beautiful bird!
Isn’t he a stunner. In close up flight he astounds! დ
That falcon is stunning … and Katie is amazing! What a wonderful find close to home 💐🙏🏼😍
Yes! I am going to bring my twin 4 year old grandsons over next. I think they will be enraptured. Cheers to you Val დ
What beauty!!
Thank you very much Donna & cheers my friend დ
Beautiful bird! And the girl isn’t ugly either. She must have a fascinating job. Never a dull moment and so satisfying when she has successes in training.
She was quietly impressive. Obviously loves what she does and is expert at it. I was so impressed with all the women running this operation დ
What a wonderful day you must have had! I would love to watch this interaction.
It was very special and the women who work in this organization were so admirable დ
Despite that I’ve never had the chance to follow up on what I learn from your posts about great spots to visit in Southern California, I continue to enjoy your photography— and love what you post about. That Saker Falcon is one handsome dude.
Your very nice thoughts are so appreciated. Thank you my friend. He is quite the looker isn’t he is, and just the most incredible flier! დ
What a handsome bird that is! The handler is quite impressive too. It looks quite warm there. We just had snow yesterday and below freezing temps. Looking forward to seeing more beautiful birds. You do an amazing job of photographing them.
Katie is impressive. You can tell she loves what she does. It is just getting close to freezing here now at night, but it warms up during the day to mid-60’s. Stay warm Marlene & thank you my friend დ
Beautiful falcon.
Yes! დ
Awesome Cindy. Keep sharing your magnificent photos. Have a great day/night and remain safe.
Awww….. So appreciated Tangie. Thank you my friend & you stay safe and well too დ
Amazing!
Grazie mille Jim დ
Beautiful! I’m looking forward to seeing more!
Thank you Janis. They have incredible and very personable birds დ
So awesome!
Smiling. Thanks so much & cheers დ
They are really amazing birds!
Yes, they are! დ
Ahh I’ve really enjoyed this episode of the Lord of the Wings. Lol! Can’t help falcon in love with these amazing pics.
🌈💜(⑅⚈᷀᷁⌔⚈᷀᷁⑅)💜🌈
You make my 💕 smile. Thank you & cheers დ
( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ 💜🌈
დ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ 💜🌈დ
Beautiful and fascinating. Thanks.
Grazie mille Eileen დ
What a beautiful bird. And your photos are so well done. Thanks for sharing your visit. I look forward to your next post. Cheers.
So thoughtful and so appreciated Lynette. I am so happy to show you more of these amazing creatures and their humans დ
What a wonderful experience Cindy! Beautiful photos and bird handling 😊
Thanks so much! It was a joy to behold დ
Falcons are amazing! Great shots of this fellow.
Merci beaucoup mon Ami Darlene დ
Such a beautiful bird Cindy, sad to know they are endangered like that. But your lovely pictures will spread the word until this and the next generation comes through and removes those things that endanger them. Especially those careless humans 😀❤️🙏🏽
I love the way you think Mark. I too have hope that subsequent generations are learning from our mistakes. Thank you & take good care my friend დ
Marvellous! More please … as you’ve already promised.
Smiling! Thank you so much & I am so happy you would like to see more. I am so pleased to comply Margaret დ
Hooray!
დდ
I always enjoy coming to your site. Magnificent mountain shots and this one with the falcon. truly a thing of beauty!!!
Your lovely comment makes me so happy I bog! Thank you very much & cheers to you დ
Absolutely amazing
Thank you Emma & cheers to you დ
Klasse Fotos!!!
Vielen Dank mein Freund Wolfgang und es ist wunderbar, von dir zu hören! დ
What a beautiful falcon! Wow 88 mph flight is sooo fast!
It was incredible to witness the speed close up and personal დ
Wonderful pics, Cindy. Watching a falconer in person is amazing.
Thank you Frank, and yes it is! დ
These are incredible photos, particuarly the one where the falcon is coming straight at the camera. You must have ducked just in time!
Aww, thank you Liz. I did duck, but not in time, the bird was far too fast for my reflexes, and far too skilled to ever hit me! I didn’t need to duck. It was just reflexive, which is pretty amazing when you think about it დ
You’re welcome, Cindy.
დდ
That last photo is especially wonderful, but they are all great, as usual.
Thank you very much & kiss the kitties for me დ
Will do!
დდ
What fascinating creatures! And what fine pictures!
Stay safe, dear Cindy.
Ihre Nachdenklichkeit wird so geschätzt, mein Freund. Bleibt gesund und munter und danke! დ
A great experience it must have been just amazing plus what a beautiful bird ,,,great images as always, Cindy 🙂 x
Thanks much Carol. It was an all around exceptional day დ
Fantastic! What a wonderful share. Thank you!
Thank you more Julie for you very kind appreciation დ
Amazing bird and place, Cindy. Glad you ducked in time!😂
The thing that was most incredible was his flying skill. I ducked reflexively, but I didn’t need too, his flight was so precise, he would never have hit me დ
Your photos always touch my heart, Cindy. I love animals so much.
You just sincerely touched my heart Kymber. I am so happy you love animals too დ
Cindy, what amazing photos of a one-of-a-kind experience! Just to see majestic birds like that is awesome, but to get close up to one of them is something I would always take the opportunity to do.
We are kindred spirits and you are so right. Getting close to creatures like this is a thrilling experience დ
Wow, Cindy! What fantabulous captures of this gorgeous bird. Definitely a day to remember!
Yes, thank you Dale! It was an incredible experience დ
I don’t doubt that for a second!
დდ
Wow, what an experience that must have been. A beautiful bird, so glad that there are folks that are trying to preserve endangered species, trying to right humanity’s wrongs. 🦅
Yes! The women at Avian Behavior International seriously impressed me. They are so focused and committed to things beyond themselves დ
88 MPH is amazing. Zoom indeed!
It was simply incredible to experience that speed close up. We have peregrine falcon’s at The Holler that dive at over 180 mph. But Saker’s can self propel fly at up to 93 mph, and dive at 200 mph! Mind boggling დ
Wonderful captures of the bird and the person!
I am wondering having falcons around could chase away those woodpeckers or not 🙂
I actually saw a acorn woodpecker while I was there. But, usually, when a falcon is in the sky, other birds scatter quickly away დ
Fantastic pictures, I can imagine it has been a great experience, watching this.
Thanks much my friend, and yes, it was a very special experience დ
Great photos, Cindy! Love the last two especially.
Thank you Amy. I love the falcon’s gorgeous mantled feathers too დ
You have the best posts!!
Awww…. You make me happy I posted. Thank you Jessica & cheers დ
Cheers back!
დდ