Peregrine Falcon on Wire
This Peregrine Falcon was stretching its wings while hanging on the wire. It was looking around for some food on this dark, dreary day, ready to explode after prey at any moment. I would not have minded if it flew off to chase a Gyrfalcon… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreBanded Peregrine Falcon Devouring Pigeon
One of the most outrageously spectacular and breath-taking winter bird sightings you can have is, in my opinion, the Peregrine Falcon. As the fastest animal on the Earth the Peregrine is already in a class of its own, and if you have never seen one stooping on shorebirds, waterfowl or other coastal and open-country birds you are missing out on one of the most unbelievable happenings on the planet. The raw power and sheer speed these birds display is literally unmatched. After recovering from decimation via DDT the Peregrine Falcon has begun to reconquer our landscape, moving into cities and...
Read MoreBoothe Park Hawk Watch 9/12 – 182 migrant raptors
We had a decent day at the Boothe Park Hawk Watch in Stratford, Connecticut yesterday, considering the deep blue sky in control, as we tallied 182 migrant raptors filling in the 9:30-4:30 time frame. Having no clouds in the sky makes it very difficult to spot hawks, eagles, falcons, vultures and so forth flying at altitudes in the thousands of feet. Light clouds, especially cirrus, provide a helpful backdrop to view them on without obscuring any or dumping precipitation which would stop the birds from moving south. In essence many migrants likely flew by right over our heads that we could...
Read MoreFall hawk watching is on!
Labor Day and the beginning of September are often seen as the beginning of the fall season despite the fact the autumnal equinox is not until weeks later (September 23 this year). However, many of our birds agree with this assessment as well. You can find migrant passerines beginning to disperse and even some moving south in July. Shorebirds can be found on the way to wintering quarters in terrific numbers in “fall” migration in the middle of what we think of as a hot summer day. Raptors including many species of hawks, accipiters, falcons, eagles, vultures and more start to...
Read MoreDEC’s Connie Adams on Peregrines
Last month New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Senior Wildlife Biologist Connie Adams came to speak at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Ornithological Club meeting. Connie’s talk was on the fastest creature on the planet, the Peregrine Falcon, and their history, biology and status in New York. Instead of her typical presentation Connie brought along a couple friends to help her out. These mounts are of a male and female Peregrine Falcon that were actually a mated pair in Buffalo. Can you tell which of the birds is which? Male raptors are typically smaller than...
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