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Peregrine falcon shows of its wingspread

October 5, 2021 by Tony Leave a Comment

Peregrine falcon shows of its wingspread
A peregrine falcon (captive) spreads its wings. (© Tony’s Takes)

This is one cool raptor and not one I usually get to photograph in the wild. Most recently, this past summer, I saw one in southwestern Colorado as it terrorized a flock of white-faced ibis. They are notoriously shy and extremely fast movers so it isn’t often you get a chance to photograph one.

This particular one is a captive bird used by HawkQuest as an educational bird. They placed it on a perfect perch and the falcon was more than willing to put on a nice show from there. Here, it spreads its wings giving a nice look at that beautiful plumage and 3 1/2-foot wingspan.

Here in Colorado you will most often find them in the foothills where they like to nest on cliffs and maintain watch from high above their prey below. They think nothing of taking down smaller birds in-flight after diving at speeds that can approach 200mph!

Like many raptors, the peregrine falcon was nearly eradicated in the 20th century due to the use of pesticides like DDT. Thankfully, we wised up, stop using the poison and peregrines like other raptors that were impacted are rebounding nicely.

Peregrine falcon sends flock of white-faced ibis into a panic

June 26, 2021 by Tony Leave a Comment

Peregrine falcon sends flock of white-faced ibis into a panic
White-faced ibis take flight as a peregrine falcon (right) buzzes the flock. (© Tony’s Takes)

This was a crazy scene to witness.

Taken on our recent trip to southwestern Colorado. I headed out for an early morning photo drive while the rest of the crew slept in. On the way back to camp, I happened across a good-sized flock of two dozen white-faced ibis hanging out at an irrigation pond.

These cool, iridescent birds are normally seen where I live during immigration and I missed them coming through this year so I was pretty excited.

I spent a while photographing them as they ate and preened when suddenly, for no apparent reason, the ibis took flight and seemed quite panicked. They circled a couple of times and instead of returning to the shore, landed in a bush in the middle of the pond.

As I looked around, I found the cause of their concern – a peregrine falcon. The falcon had apparently buzzed the flock and afterwards was hanging out on the ground nearby. The flock and the falcon were at a standoff and I gave up waiting for one to make a move after about a half hour. Pretty fun to see.

In going back and looking at my pictures, I unknowingly captured the falcon buzzing the ibis in one of the images. You can see it in the widest view shot with the house, right side, middle.

White-faced ibis seek safe shelter after a peregrine falcon panicked them. (© Tony's Takes)
White-faced ibis seek safe shelter after a peregrine falcon panicked them. (© Tony’s Takes)
White-faced ibis seek safe shelter after a peregrine falcon panicked them. (© Tony's Takes)
White-faced ibis seek safe shelter after a peregrine falcon panicked them. (© Tony’s Takes)
A peregrine falcon keeps watch on a flock of white-faced ibis, waiting for a time to strike. (© Tony's Takes)
A peregrine falcon keeps watch on a flock of white-faced ibis, waiting for a time to strike. (© Tony’s Takes)

Peregrine falcon makes a rare appearance

April 22, 2020 by Tony Leave a Comment

Peregrine falcon makes a rare appearance
A peregrine falcon does a flyby with the snow-covered Rocky Mountains in the background. (© Tony’s Takes)

It has been more than two years since I last saw one of these fast and ferocious raptors. They simply don’t visit the plains of Colorado very often, usually only during migration.

This past weekend I spotted one and while it never came very close and my pics were disappointing, I was excited at the sighting and opportunity. It was initially on the ground, guarding some unlucky white-feathered creature it had just finished dining on.

With its meal done, it turned its attention on a red tailed hawk in a nearby tree that seemed to be working on a nest. The falcon let the hawk know it wasn’t happy about its presence by dive-bombing it a few times, the peregrine falcon’s favorite mode of attack.

I never did get a decent capture of it striking but it did appear to make contact more than once. The hawk hunkered down a bit further into the tree for cover and the falcon gave up and moved on.

A peregrine falcon makes a fast flyby in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
A peregrine falcon makes a fast flyby in Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

Peregrine Falcon puts on a show

January 22, 2018 by Tony Leave a Comment

This was one cool little raptor that was in no mood to pose for pictures. Horus is a retired breeding falcon that now is an ambassador for Nature’s Educators, a non-profit wildlife education group.

She was quite entertaining as she posed on some rocks and constantly spread her wings making it clear that she would rather be flying that posing for pictures. I can’t say I blame her!

One of the most spectacular and ferocious raptors, Peregrine Falcons are nothing short of amazing. They oftentimes hunt from on high, diving to the ground toward their prey at speeds up to 200 mph!

Peregrine Falcon puts on a show
A Peregrine Falcon spreads its wings and show off. (© Tony’s Takes)
A Peregrine Falcon spreads its wings and show off. (© Tony’s Takes)
A Peregrine Falcon spreads its wings and show off. (© Tony’s Takes)

Peregrine Falcon takes flight

September 1, 2016 by Tony Leave a Comment

I once again ran across this cool raptor recently and again, he did not want to give me any flight shots. He did however at least give me this backlit launch. Someday I will convince it to let me get ‘the shot’ of it in flight. 😉

One of the most spectacular and ferocious raptors, Peregrine Falcons are nothing short of amazing. They oftentimes hunt from on high, diving to the ground toward their prey at speeds up to 200 mph!

Taken in Adams County, Colorado.

Peregrine Falcon takes flight
A Peregrine Falcon takes flight in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

You again!

July 21, 2016 by Tony Leave a Comment

It had been a couple months since I had seen this Peregrine Falcon. Over the last couple of winters, I and other photographers have spotted it a few times in the area near Denver International Airport. This area is not one you would expect to find this fast-moving raptor in but it seems to have taken to life on the flat, hot plains just fine.

In the past it refused to pose for pictures and on rare occasion would come close enough in flight to grab a few, fleeting captures. Twice over the past couple of weeks I have seen it hanging out on a particular pole and both times it was more than willing to let me get my fill of shots of it while it kept watch. Naturally though, the second I tried to get closer, it bolted and always in a direction that prevented a flight shot.

One of the most spectacular and ferocious raptors, Peregrine Falcons are nothing short of amazing. They oftentimes hunt from on high, diving to the ground toward their prey at speeds up to 200 mph!

You again!
A Peregrine Falcon keeps watch on the photographer in Adams County, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon makes surprise appearance

May 4, 2015 by Tony Leave a Comment

I share these images not because of their quality (it certainly is not great) but rather because of the subject matter.

While out patrolling familiar photo grounds northeast of Denver yesterday, I was getting many pictures of the usual menagerie of hawks, owls and other birds. Near a prairie dog colony, I spotted an unusually colored bird swooping low over the rodents’ homes sending the little critters into a panic. I quickly flipped a u-turn, pulled over, and snapped a couple of quick pictures of the raptor is it passed fast and low above the ground well off in the distance.

Playing back the image on my camera I was delighted to see I had captured images of a ?Peregrine? ?Falcon? – something not often seen on the plains. I headed off in the direction the falcon went but unfortunately was unable to get another picture of it. I do wish the images were of better quality but am pleased as punch to have gotten what I did of a cool bird in an unusual location.

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon makes surprise appearance
A juvenile Peregrine Falcon flies low and fast. (© Tony’s Takes)
A juvenile Peregrine Falcon flies low and fast.  (© Tony’s Takes)
A juvenile Peregrine Falcon flies low and fast. (© Tony’s Takes)

Peregrine Falcon gets its closeup

July 25, 2014 by Tony Leave a Comment

Closing out the workweek is a shot of an absolutely gorgeous Peregrine Falcon taken last week at Yellowstone National Park.

Peregrine’s can be found just about anywhere on the globe. Here in North America, much like other raptors, the bird was threatened by pesticides in the 20th century but is making an incredible comeback now.

This particular Peregrine Falcon was not in the wild (although they do reside in Yellowstone) but rather belonged to a falconer that happened to be staying in the campground I was in. The man was kind enough to let me snap off bunches of pictures of this bird (Merlin) as well as two others he owned.

A Peregrine Falcon gets its close up.  © Tony’s Takes
A Peregrine Falcon gets its close up. © Tony’s Takes

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