Banded Peregrine Falcon
Here is a recent flashback story for everyone on this lovely Friday. October is always a terrific month to find all sorts of raptors making their way south for a prolonged migration or dispersing from their nesting area to find acceptable wintering grounds. Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) continue to rebound from their demise due to pesticides in our region in the last century, taking up breeding sites on skyscrapers in major cities, under bridges on interstates, and even nest box platforms at locations like Dunkirk’s power plant on Lake Erie in our own Chautauqua County. Some of...
Read MorePeregrine Falcon Resting
One of the most exciting aspects to fall birding is the surge of raptors that push through much of the U.S. on their way south. Some of these species may be moving a few hundred miles, getting to a more temperate region or dispersing from the nest to find their own place, while others will travel thousands of miles and leave the continent. These predators face many of the same perils as songbirds during migration, but they are also flying at the same time as these passerines, making their own journey easier as they can hunt at the same stopover sites for weakened, confused, and fatigued...
Read MorePeregrine Falcon
Sometimes inclement weather conditions can create challenging or unique photographic ones, as was the case with this Peregrine Falcon. The bird flew over me unexpectedly, and I was certainly not at all ready with my camera as I had been shooting stationary sparrows in the dark brush – far different than a raptor soaring by in a turbulent, pale sky. Nevertheless, the gray conditions made it easier for me to swing up and hit it with a couple of shots, leaving me one decent photo. It looked rather bland so I turned it into a more striking black and white shot for the fastest animal on the...
Read MoreRadar Migration September 11, 2016
Here we go again! The cold front that passed through the region this weekend has ushered in a strong northwest flow, and our birds are on the move – get out there tomorrow and enjoy it.
Read MoreJuvenile Red-tailed Hawk
This juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a very intriguing bird. These photos are as close as they appear, and it paid zero attention or regard to anyone or anything going on around it. The hawk enjoys sitting on wires and poles, occasionally glancing at someone if they are very loud or very close in a more curious than scared way. It seems likely that this goes beyond a case of being “young and dumb” which happens often enough in raptors with juvenile birds being too bold, too trusting, or too confident. This is probably a bird who grew up in an urban environment...
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