Adult Prairie Falcon with prey in Box Elder CountyAdult Prairie Falcon with prey in Box Elder County – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/3200, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

I drove up to northern Utah yesterday morning because the forecast for that area looked better than the forecast for the area where I live and I’m glad I went. The sun was shining. I had blue skies with a few thin clouds over head and although it was chilly at 22°F it wasn’t -22 like it was the last time I was up there so it felt comfortable.

I saw Bald and Golden Eagles, Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, Chukars, Ring-necked Pheasants, Rough-legged Hawks, Common Ravens, Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks, Black-billed Magpies, some shrikes that I suspect were Northern Shrikes, Canada Geese flying in V-formations, ducks that were too far away to ID and two Prairie Falcons.

One of the Prairie Falcons was so skittish it flew off when I was at least one football field away from it but the second one was far more cooperative.

The Prairie Falcon I photographed had prey and that may be why it was less skittish. I have no idea what the prey is but it is larger than a vole and had fur not feathers.

Prairie Falcon adult with prey in winterPrairie Falcon adult with prey in winter – Nikon D500, f9, 1/640, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

The area behind the Prairie Falcon in my photos is a grassy rangeland that was covered in snow. I was parked on the shoulder of a paved two lane road across from the falcon using my Jeep as a mobile blind.

Perched Prairie Falcon with preyPerched Prairie Falcon with prey – Nikon D500, f9, 1/500, ISO 250, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

The Prairie Falcon seemed content to just watch me as I photographed it. It did not eat the prey it had grasped in it talons. Perhaps it was just enjoying the warmth of the sun. I know that it felt great to me after so many dreary days in a row.

I noticed that the falcon’s crop bulged a bit and it has some blood on its bill which tells me it had been eating its prey before I came across it.

Prairie Falcon with prey on a wooden postPrairie Falcon with prey on a wooden post – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited

The falcon perched on this fence post for two minutes while I photographed it before a pickup hauling an empty trailer rumbled by and chased it away. This Prairie Falcon was one of my best birds of the morning yesterday. After the falcon flew off I turned my Jeep towards home with a smile on my face.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Prairie Falcon photos plus facts and information about this species.