Having fun with P’s for that title. 😉

This awesome raptor has been a bit of a fixture in one of the places I frequent and it has become quite comfortable with being watched. On this day last week, it sat and gave me some nice poses.

You can tell it is relaxed in that it has its right leg tucked up to its chest, probably to keep it warm. When birds do this, it is a good sign that they are okay with you and aren’t in any rush to go anywhere. If that talon comes down though, you can bet they are getting ready to go.

These cool raptors can be found in Colorado year-round but I most often see them in the winter. In recent weeks one has been pretty consistently hanging out in a spot I drive often on my outings and it has given me some pretty cool captures.

Most recently, on New Year’s Day, I spotted it on a pole. It was in no mood for pictures though, perhaps it was suffering a hangover from the night before. 😉

I managed a couple quick shots of it posing and then it made a dramatic dive and headed off to parts unknown. Prairie falcons usually prey on small mammals like mice and voles but will sometimes opt for smaller birds. I have seen one dine on a western meadowlark before.

A fun encounter on Thanksgiving Day with this not-often-seen raptor.

I was out for a morning photo excursion and spotted it on a post. After giving me some nice poses, it launched into the air, coming toward me at some unseen, unsuspecting prey.

Heavily overcast skies made for some tough shooting conditions and light was at a premium but it was fun to see this guy / gal and grab some captures. I like falcons better than turkey anyway. 😉

One from yesterday on what was a bone-chilling cold morning on the plains. The temperature didn’t bother this raptor though as it circled a field, looking for a meal.

Usually these guys are pretty skittish but this one was kind enough to give me a few nice flybys. As it circled, I was really hoping it would find something to eat but it was not to be, at least not while I watched. Given the cold, I wasn’t going to linger around either. 😉

These guys are fast-movers and not ones to normally let you get a flight shot. Thankfully, this one cooperated a bit recently giving me a few shots as it flew by at Mach 1. 😉

Prairie falcons are quite common on the plains this time of year. I usually see them perched on utility poles, ready to attack some poor, unsuspecting rodent or little bird.

I’ve watched them dive into groups of horned larks and meadowlarks with amazing speed and agility, snatching their victim right out of the air. Way cool to see!

I am finally starting to see some of these cool raptors this season. This one was taking a break from hunting this past weekend and let me grab a few shots before it went back to work.

Prairie falcons are found across much of the western United States. Here in Colorado, they come to the lower elevations during the winter. During the summer, I have spotted them as high as at 10,000 feet in the mountains.

They are way cool birds and like most falcons, extraordinarily aggressive and are often seen flying low and fast over open land, hunting for a meal.