It’s been over three years since I’ve been able to closely approach a Prairie Falcon in the Centennial Valley but yesterday it finally happened again. And this time it was an adult bird instead of a less skittish juvenile.
1/2000, f/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
The falcon was perched on a cattle chute next to the South Road in the valley but I was bummed because I had to pass it and then shoot back at it in order to get acceptable light on the bird and I just knew it would spook as I passed – they always do.
But incredibly this bird stuck and I was able to get off 59 shots before it took off (it turned away from me as it did so of course). I may have been able to get even closer but doing so would have given me less desirable light on the bird. It didn’t give me much pose variety but I’m not going to whine about that.
It’s only an image of a bird on a post but hey, it’s a Prairie Falcon!
This encounter brought back memories for me of one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had with a bird – another Centennial Valley Prairie Falcon. Relatively new blog followers may never have seen those posts so I provide links to them below. The story only makes sense if you read them in sequence.
Ron
It’s an awesome shot Ron!
Charlotte
What a TREAT! I love the back story and today’s lovely prairie.
Ooh. And ahhh. And sighs of contement. And a smidge of jealousy.
Loved the historical information too.
Thanks for the links to the previous posts! I am a newish reader and really enjoy the background stories.
How wonderful to find a “sticky” Prairie Falcon. We had one that I saw in our neighborhood several times a few years ago, and I loved having it around. There’s something about Falcons that draws me to them.
Glad trip seems to be going well–will continue to keep my fingers and eyes crossed that your luck continues. Enjoyed seeing those “old” imagescagain, esp. that wonderful series (in spite of the “jewelry”, which I never like seeing)…
Very interesting post Ron. I was a bander for 40 years and this post shows, as an example, how important banding is as a tool for us to understand what is happening to wildlife and our affect on the environment. Many thanks for everything you do and share, it is much appreciated.
Great shot, Ron and I enjoyed the Branded Prairie Falcon update article as well! 🙂 Glad you’re have some success on your trip! 🙂