It’s rare for a Prairie Falcon to allow a close approach but this young bird was an exception.
- I posted one of these images long ago but the other three are new to my blog.
1/1250/ f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in
I found it one cold, stormy December morning several years ago along the Antelope Island causeway. In order to get a clear view of the bird I had to attempt to get close and I fully expected it to fly away but the falcon mostly ignored me. In fact it spent part of its time grooming which was another indication of its lack of nervousness. I was close enough that I had to remove my teleconverter.
The bird was wet and standing on the edge of a potentially slippery rock and once when it moved slightly…
1/2000/ f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in
it slipped and very nearly fell off the rock. This wasn’t just a slight misstep, at one point more than half its body was out of view behind the rock and it had to drag itself back up by its claws. Without the aid of its wings it would have landed on its butt.
1/2500/ f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in
I wish we could see more of the head in this next shot but the wing position hints at the amount of effort the bird had to expend to regain a stable position on the rock.
1/1600/ f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in
Then it looked at me sheepishly from a more stable position on the rock as if to see if I had noticed its awkward moment.
A trivial event in the life of a bird but it certainly amused me.
Ron
An amusing series of a disgruntled bird…
Thanks, Patty.
Beautiful shots, and a beautiful background. I had to laugh though. The last picture..the bird was thinking “You didn’t see that”
I think it actually SAID that, Jean!
Big, big smiles. And awe. And wonder. As always.
And oh to have the wing thing…
Thanks, EC.
Nice series of a really handsome young raptor!
On the use of the truck “blind”, my wife is pretty sure the driver’s side window is broken and won’t even roll up anymore!
I have the unique ability to read moving bird beaks and this youngster, in typical falcon fashion, was saying: “I meant to do that.”
Wally, when I’m in the field that window is NEVER all the way up, even when it’s freezing outside. I keep my Noodle in that window so I can’t get it completely closed.
Live this post. Great captures of course. I’ve grown to expect excellence from you.😀
Thanks, Linda. Then I hope to not let you down in the future!
The stories you tell with pictures–I love them. This had me howling!
Arwen, I was chuckling enough when I was taking the photos that I lost focus on some of them…
Ron, the first photo (in particular) is simply beautiful. Thank you for posting it. Beautiful bird, background easy on the eyes.
Thanks very much, Richard.
What beautiful pictures of a beautiful youngster. I especially love the 3rd one with all the wing detail. I absolutely love seeing the open wing, which is why I often prefer the bak of the peacock to the front. Thanks again for sharing this with us. I ‘bird’ vicariously through your photographs
What a nice comment, Gillian. Thank you.
Fantastic Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
I guess I shouldn’t laugh at the poor Falcon’s mishap, but it did make me chuckle. It’s a beautiful series of photos of a beautiful bird. I especially like the shots that show the feather detail on the wings.
It’s only human to find humor in a situation like this, Susan. Laugh away!
Lovely shots! I’ll have to try more locations from a vehicle as I am normally on foot and they are often too far away. I love the rich brown hues against the background too.
I love shooting from my vehicle, Debbie, for raptors, shorebirds, songbirds – doesn’t matter.
I was so gratified to see such clear, detailed images of both the under- and upper- wing of the same bird . It helps me understand that conformation
on other birds, too…….the diagrams in field-guides, etc. just don’t “do it” like a photograph of a living bird. Thanks for that !
Good point about the look at both sides of the wing, Kris.
Absolutely beautiful bird!
🙂
Oh WOW! (Insert all the unused superlatives here)! I really love prairies. IF I were to go to the longwing dark side (like I haven’t already with the Kestrel), I’d probably choose to fly a tiercel (male) prairie. They’re sorta like the redtails of the longwing group in that they’ll take anything they can get their grubby talons on! They’re not that fussy. And they’re just gorgeous, bearing in mind that all raptors are gorgeous! I just love the detail on the feathering. How do they DO that?
RE: Potentially landing on one’s butt, that’s why it’s a good thing to have wings so this gravity thing isn’t an issue 🙂 I think if there were a thought bubble on the last shot it would say something like, “You did NOT see that! That did NOT happen!” Reality is that the majestic thing doesn’t always work 😉
I like your thought bubble, Laura. Silly bird!
Yep, they’re often silly, especially when they’re babies!
Beautiful bird! Glad it let you get closer. Amazing what difference a vehicle can make – at least when they are used to them stopping. 🙂
Judy, not all of them are acclimated to vehicles of course but in at least a few of the places I shoot some of them are.
Beautiful bird, you can really see its sharp talons in the last picture. Many of your images goes to show that generally birds don’t feel nervous about a vehicle.
Might have been cold and stormy, but this bird looks healthy and content, albeit a tad awkward.
Dick, They certainly feel LESS nervous about a vehicle than they do a person on foot. But all I have to do is crack a door open and they’re gone in an instant.
Yep, that is why we have to have the window down have the camera ready, be prepared ahead of time. Why we get buggy, and freeze, etc., etc., in the process. I understand!
Yup, you get it, Dick!