Peregrine Falcon with a Pigeon

Jody MelansonJody Melanson Registered Users Posts: 416 Major grins
edited July 7, 2008 in Wildlife
Thanks to Brandon Holden, I found out about an active nest of Peregrines in Niagara Falls. I went to bed at 11:30pm and got up at 3am to leave by 4am. We took a drive down there to see what we could get. We saw 5 Peregrines in the sky at one point. Got some full frame perched images, portraits, flight. It was a thrill to just watch the juveniles fly around and play attack each other or tuck and dive at a hundred or two miles an hour. Well when this parent Peregrine was gliding by, I noticed it started flapping its wings and commented that maybe it was going after something. Seconds later it nailed this Pigeon 30' from us! Awesome! I got 23 frames of the action.

Interesting to me was that the Peregrine grabbed the Pigeon out of the air with her talons. Then she grabbed the neck of the pigeon and broke its neck immediately.

This picture was made after she broke the neck and flew past us to head back to feed the juveniles.

A spectacular morning spent in good company with some fabulous images to boot!

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And here is one of the juveniles sitting on the cliff looking at me.

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I have many more photos, but have only processed these two and just had to share! :)
There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness!

Comments

  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited July 6, 2008
    Well you already know what you captured !!! ylsuper.gifylsuper.gifylsuper.gif :wow

    This is the kind of capturing that I will kill FOR !!!

    the 2nd really cool thing is it happened in front of someone who knows
    how to capture it, so the rest of us pedestrians can salivate over. rolleyes1.gifrolleyes1.gif

    Congrats and great work thumb.gif
    Benjamin
    My Galleries
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  • dlplumerdlplumer Registered Users Posts: 8,081 Major grins
    edited July 6, 2008
    Unbelievable Jody bowdown.gifbowdown.gifbowdown.gif
    Dan
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  • i_worship_the_Kingi_worship_the_King Registered Users Posts: 548 Major grins
    edited July 6, 2008
    Amazing... that's the only word for it - Creation is just so majestic...
    I make it policy to never let ignorance stand in the way of my opinion. ~Justiceiro

    "Your decisions on whether to buy, when to buy and what to buy should depend on careful consideration of your needs primarily, with a little of your wants thrown in for enjoyment, After all photography is a hobby, even for pros."
    ~Herbert Keppler
  • WildWallyWildWally Registered Users Posts: 494 Major grins
    edited July 6, 2008
    A must see !!!!
    Totally awesome shots Jody !!!!! Phenominal !!!

    I never realized until recently how amazing these birds of prey are ..

    You must watch this video ....

    http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/animals/birds-animals/birds-of-prey/falcon_peregrine_velocity.html

    Oh , on another note . Raymond , Rays Wildlife had just posted some shots of these birds recently from Niagra . Do you know of him ???
    "Walt":stud
    http://wildwally.smugmug.com/
  • bigpixbigpix Registered Users Posts: 371 Major grins
    edited July 6, 2008
    great capture........ I need to get out more clap.gif
    Cheers...... Big Pix
    Lake Macquarie NSW Australia
    www.bigpix.smugmug.com
    Please do not EDIT
    my Images
  • nrmdisknrmdisk Registered Users Posts: 182 Major grins
    edited July 7, 2008
    Truly magnificent!
    Incredible shots! Thanks for sharing these.

    Neil
    http://nrmdisk.smugmug.com
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    Neil MacDonald
    Richmond BC
    http://nrmdisk.smugmug.com

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