Peregrine Falcons

Peregrine Falcons are large falcons with pointed wings, long tails, adults are blue-gray above and barred below. They have dark heads and well-defined masks.

Subadult Peregrine Falcon

By |2021-05-24T05:52:59-06:00May 24th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week before I found the Rock Wren I wrote about I also found a subadult Peregrine Falcon perched on a wooden post in the West Desert.

Adult Peregrine Falcon In Red Rock Country

By |2021-05-24T06:41:16-06:00March 11th, 2020|Categories: Bicknell Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

It isn't everyday that I can take photos of a Peregrine Falcon in Red Rock Country so I'm very glad I spotted this one and was able to get a few images it.

Christmas Morning Snowfall

By |2022-10-02T04:51:18-06:00December 25th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is still dark here in northern Utah but I can tell there is some fresh snow on the ground so I guess that makes this a white Christmas even if the white stuff melts before the sun comes up over the mountains.

2018 Year In Review For On The Wing Photography

By |2023-11-17T07:39:25-07:00December 31st, 2018|Categories: Baltimore Orioles, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, California Gulls, Cedar Waxwings, Northern Mockingbirds, Peregrine Falcons, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Say's Phoebes, Tundra Swans, Wild Turkeys, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

All in all, as 2018 comes to a close I realize how fortunate I am to see all the birds that I do throughout the year as a bird photographer, to be able to do what I love and to love my feathered subjects too.

Lesson Learned – Make Sure To Upload Before Reformatting

By |2021-05-24T06:49:03-06:00January 24th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I lost those Peregrine Falcon images because I had other things on my mind and prematurely reformatted my memory card.

Surprise Peregrine Falcon With Prey On A Brisk Winter Morning

By |2024-03-14T06:26:27-06:00January 5th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Finding and photographing the surprise Peregrine Falcon with prey was one of the brightest spots of my day.

Side By Side Prairie and Peregrine Falcon Comparison

By |2024-02-20T13:14:09-07:00November 18th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are other differences in plumage between Prairie and Peregrine Falcons that show in my photos but by using just their heads it is possible to make a quick ID in the field.

Adult Peregrine Falcon and Godzilla Perched High Over the County Landfill

By |2021-05-24T06:55:07-06:00September 24th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Lee Kay Ponds, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Peregrine Falcon was quite content on its rusty, lofty perch and didn't do anything but turn its head to see what was going on down below it.

Juvenile Burrowing Owl VS a Juvenile Peregrine Falcon

By |2021-12-20T05:36:40-07:00August 21st, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight years ago today I didn't know that it would be the last time I'd photograph the Burrowing Owl family together and that a juvenile Peregrine Falcon would have a part in that.

Peregrine Falcon Stretching Sessions

By |2024-03-16T06:30:19-06:00February 15th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent forty-one minutes observing and photographing this Peregrine Falcon yesterday while it rested, preened and stretched right next to the Great Salt Lake.

Wild versus Captive Birds in Photography – Keeping it Real, Keeping it Honest

By |2021-05-24T06:59:32-06:00January 18th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've made it clear on my post about Galileo and in this post about Goose that they are education birds and in my photo galleries I have included this symbol (C) to indicate they are captive birds.

Looking at 2016 in the Rear View Mirror or My Photographic Year in Review

By |2024-03-05T06:08:04-07:00December 31st, 2016|Categories: American Bitterns, American Pipits, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Davis County, Double-crested Cormorants, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Horned Owls, High Uintas, Hybrid Geese, Idaho, Leucistic, Montana, Peregrine Falcons, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Salt Lake County, Short-eared Owls, Summit County, Targhee National Forest, Tooele County, Turkey Vultures, Utah, Wayne County, Western Bluebirds, Wilson's Phalaropes, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Wow, today is the last day of the year 2016. This is my photographic year in review from Utah, Idaho and Montana!

Looking For Peregrine Falcons On The Shore Of The Great Salt Lake

By |2021-05-24T07:07:00-06:00November 11th, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This time of the year I start looking for Peregrine Falcons to show up near the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake because of the high numbers of ducks that are usually there.

Peregrine Falcon in flight in front of a sandstone cliff face

By |2021-05-24T07:10:36-06:00March 16th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able to photograph this Peregrine Falcon in flight in front of a brightly colored sandstone cliff face with the light of the setting sun on it. I was delighted.

Young Peregrine Falcon and the Great Salt Lake

By |2023-12-12T08:14:59-07:00November 12th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Salt Lake this time of the year is full of ducks and that means that there is ample food in the area for this young Peregrine Falcon.

White Gyrfalcon – Yet another escaped falconry bird!

By |2021-08-10T10:08:55-06:00February 22nd, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Gyrfalcons, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have seen and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, two in 2012 and yesterday I photographed another one, an escaped White Gyrfalcon.

More on Escaped Falconry Birds

By |2022-12-10T10:05:57-07:00December 23rd, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Throughout these three experiences in finding escaped falconry birds what I have learned is that falconry is for experts not for people who just think it is cool to have a pet raptor.

Hail Yeah – Storm at Red Rock Lakes Dam

By |2023-03-22T07:19:30-06:00October 28th, 2012|Categories: American Avocets, Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Peregrine Falcons, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since I began photographing birds in Florida I have gotten used to getting wet to photograph shorebirds, wringing wet at times but my gear has never been as wet as it was the day I took these images from inside the pickup.

Escaped Falconry Birds – Peregrine Falcon and American Kestrel

By |2020-03-11T13:17:52-06:00October 16th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know that falconry birds and rehabbed raptors can be used as excellent tools in educating the public, I've been impressed with them myself. But there is a risk for falconry birds that escape and that still have jesses or anklets attached and that fact worries me.

Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds

By |2024-03-05T11:36:58-07:00January 25th, 2012|Categories: American Kestrels, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Barn Owls, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Brewer's Blackbirds, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Chukars, Common Ravens, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Green-winged Teals, Horned Larks, Killdeer, Long-billed Curlews, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is the third post in my series about Wild and Wonderful Antelope Island State Park, I've saved the best (and longest) for last. The Birds! Okay, maybe they aren't the best thing about Antelope Island State Park, but I am a bird photographer and they are what I am most passionate about!

Peregrine Falcon with prey ~ Low light

By |2021-05-24T08:56:34-06:00December 28th, 2011|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Frustrations in bird photography, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Where is the light when you want it? Yesterday it was hiding behind the clouds and lake fog when I spotted this Peregrine Falcon at a close distance, on prey and sticky.

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