Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: mr.sharp-photo on August 01, 2011, 04:15:30 PM

Title: Peregrine falcon with kill
Post by: mr.sharp-photo on August 01, 2011, 04:15:30 PM
I had a good hour at Bluffer's Park. No green heron, but I saw two raptors with their kills. Going through my pics, I realized that the first was either a peregrine falcon (Frank, its 24 x on its band) or a cooper's hawk.  I'm looking at the wing length and am not certain. Think its eating a gull.
i put my camera down for a second and it flew away into the bluffs to eat its brunch.

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6005/5999517876_9d497a8f65_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999517876/)
peregrine falcon with (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999517876/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5999432694_e66bd1c9df_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999432694/)
peregrine falcon with kill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999432694/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6010/5998899277_d9a1406f3a_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5998899277/)
peregrine falcon with kill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5998899277/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5998953923_c77bcd336b_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5998953923/)
peregrine falcon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5998953923/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6012/5998952791_1796a86b34_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5998952791/)
peregrine falcon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5998952791/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

The falcon took off in a north west direction towards the trees on the top of the bluffs. when i was walking back to the parking lot (3 minutes later) i saw what I thought was ANOTHER raptor fly by with lunch in its claws. i snuck around it (avoiding eye contact) and took pictures from a distance.  I think its the same bird (its right talon band is black and says "24" but I cannot read the letter, and it has a green band on its left talon) but I'm not sure if lunch was the same.
I watched for 10 minutes as it started to pluck the feathers. the plucking makes me think that it was another bird, but I'm not sure a) if it would drop off lunch for another falcon, b) if it had time to catch another gull in 3 minutes.


(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5999056473_65f2f764bd_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999056473/)
peregrine falcon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999056473/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5999023445_98551f9269_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999023445/)
peregrine falcon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999023445/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/5999588704_93e3093383_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999588704/)
peregrine falcon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsharp-photo/5999588704/) by mr.sharp-photo (http://www.flickr.com/people/mrsharp-photo/), on Flickr

*edit* looking at other pics, I'm pretty darn certain its a peregrine.
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Post by: thouc on August 01, 2011, 04:29:53 PM
Yes, it's a Peregrine. Nice one! It looks like a juvenile.
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Post by: MEGHAN on August 01, 2011, 06:09:12 PM
I hate you, ya lucky bastard.
If I said fantastic find and photos I would be stating the obvious kinda in a boring way.
But I'll say it anyways but add a few exclamation points to really express the fact that this is a fantastic find and photos!!!
Great job Richard.
Meghan
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Post by: mr.sharp-photo on August 01, 2011, 06:38:06 PM
thanks.
i think my summer photography sabbatical may be over.
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Post by: BoboBird on August 01, 2011, 08:17:57 PM
Great captures lucky man.

I was at Rosetta today and saw the green heron fly by.
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Post by: steve rossi on August 01, 2011, 08:26:51 PM
What a great set of shots,you captured the action nicely.
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Post by: dizzy on August 01, 2011, 09:43:03 PM
Wow! Nice set. Thanks for sharing.

mike
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Post by: Bluffs Birder on August 02, 2011, 04:01:51 PM
Beautifully captured Richard.  Great looking bird.

Walter
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Post by: amack1163 on August 02, 2011, 06:20:41 PM
Trade you a Green Heron for the Peregrine?...Great work!!!
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Post by: JW Mills on August 02, 2011, 06:45:57 PM
Great set Richard!
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Post by: ravynne40 on August 02, 2011, 07:19:32 PM
here's one for you...INCREDULOUS! terrific series, stunning and riveting from beginning to end
I would trade the Green Heron for a Peregrine Falcon any day!
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Post by: Rob'in'To on August 02, 2011, 08:35:17 PM
I'm going with "Kick Ass" once again...  not something you see everyday, eh?
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Post by: mr.sharp-photo on August 02, 2011, 10:52:28 PM
Quote from: "Rob'in'To"
I'm going with "Kick Ass" once again...  not something you see everyday, eh?


thanks for the compliments.
it was pretty darn cool, especially when the falcon was dragging the gull up the slope of the Bluffs (the pictures where the falcon's wings are flapping).
truth be told, i'm also excited that I played with new shutter speeds to get relatively crisp pictures from a far distance. its neat that i'm still learning how to take pictures after having this lens for almost 4 years.
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Post by: newfoundlander61 on August 03, 2011, 07:00:52 AM
Wow, great set of images. One species I have not seen yet.
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Post by: Lloyd on August 03, 2011, 07:59:38 AM
Excellent series, Mr. Sharp-Photo. I felt I was there myself. Nicely done!
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Post by: mr.sharp-photo on August 04, 2011, 03:35:48 PM
I wanted to give you more information about this falcon.
I received an email from the Cnd Peregrine Foundation.

Quote
Yes, it’s a peregrine alright!  The young juvenile peregrine is named “Sunshine”,, and was produced at the Toronto Sheraton nest site.


some more info on Sunshine at their website:

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/c/ ... on-centre/ (http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/w/c/sightings/toronto-sheraton-centre/)
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Post by: Whittam on August 04, 2011, 05:17:20 PM
Very very nice!  Extremely well done!  I wonder which peregrine this was....  from the AT&T site on Markham road perhaps?  Cheers Terry
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Post by: Photoman on August 04, 2011, 06:30:32 PM
Great slide show, very nice. Always nice to see wildlife at it's best.

Clemens  8)
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Post by: mr.sharp-photo on August 04, 2011, 06:33:51 PM
Quote from: "Whittam"
Very very nice!  Extremely well done!  I wonder which peregrine this was....  from the AT&T site on Markham road perhaps?  Cheers Terry


heh. guess you didn't my post above yours? :)