Aerial Food Transfer Between Two Peregrines

[Dinusaur]

The other day I observed something that I have never seen before - transfer of food between two adult Peregrines while in flight. Later I read that this is part and parcel of pair bonding ritual, usually the transfer of food happens from a male to female, exactly what I saw. I was standing on the Pier by the Lift Bridge in Hamilton with a group of other folks when I heard wailing overhead. I looked up to see one Peregrine chasing another one with intense vocalization. I thought one of the fledglings (there are three altogether) might be begging for food. Later I realized that it was actually the female chasing the male who was holding a prey in its talon. After a few back and forth flights, the male slowed down, the female approached from below and took the prey - talon to talon. She then took it to the chicks to feed them. Luckily I had my camera with me and managed to capture a sequence of 18 shots of the transfer that only lasted about 1.4 seconds, an amazing experience to say the least. Here's a few from that sequence of 18 shots - scroll down to see the continuity of transfer.

[Ally]

Those are amazing! I was saying today how I don't see falcons, and there you are having them doing tricks :wink: