Peregrine Falcon: "Perched and Prepared"
How about we race?
(Peregrine Falcon - photo by Neil Barker - August 2023)
You’re sitting quietly for opportunities to arise.
All your senses take in everything around you while you wait.
Very few know how fast and capable you are of seizing chance.
I took this photo in August 2023. I was about half an hour into my hike at my favourite local conservation area when I spotted this Peregrine Falcon perched on this tree limb. This was early in the morning.
I’d seen Peregrines several times in the area over the years. There is a small lake nearby with a large number of waterfowl that a Peregrine may hunt. The conservation area also has a lot of other prey birds like Mourning Doves and Pigeons that Peregrines no doubt find tempting.
About a year before taking this photo, I’d seen a Peregrine perched similarly on a limb over the Ottawa River. I was watching that Peregrine through my binoculars when an Osprey flew and chased the Peregrin off that perch. The Osprey claimed the perch for fishing. Funny enough, I’ve seen Bald Eagles do the same thing to the resident Ospreys. Nature has a sense of humour.
Here in Ottawa, we do have resident Peregrines nesting on some of the taller buildings in the city. I’ve seen photos of them and occasionally caught glimpses of Peregrines chasing Pigeons. Seeing that makes my commutes home from my office much more interesting.
One of my all-time favourite Peregrine encounters happened in early Spring 2021. I had been hiking on a snow-covered path on the western edge of Ottawa and I saw a Peregrine approaching me at high speed. The Peregrine was flying about 15-20 feet off the ground. I froze just hoping to catch a good glimpse.
The Peregrine ignored me and veered slightly to its right and around me and continued flying down the path. I turned and watched it race off before losing sight of it. The encounter probably only lasted 5-10 seconds in total. Absolutely awesome. Nature is truly awe-inspiring.