The Peregrine Falcon is a juvenile, and I had to search for this one.
It was that call that alerted me to the Peregrine's presence.
I have posted the peregrines before in this high fir tree, but they were adults, and it's a first for me to get a youngster. They are fascinating birds due to their great diving speeds, and they hover up in the sky in search of prey. I was promised by a guy that he would take me up on the mountain to a dam that is surrounded by high trees in order to show me the African Fish Eagle's nest. So far it has not come to fruition yet, but I think he is waiting for the youngsters to be born. Let's hope that I can get them on camera.
No ways that I was going to get him by looking at this side of the tree, but I knew that I would get him on the other side with the sun behind me. Just a tip for beginner photographers, always try to get a picture with the sun behind you.
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also referred to simply as the peregrine, is a bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae known for its speed. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts and a black head. As is typical for bird-eating (avivore) raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males. Historically, the bird has also been known as the "black-cheeked falcon" in Australia, and the "duck hawk" in North America.
And there he was. It took some search, but I also know that they like to sit just below the top of the tree.
Two more shots of the Peregrine below.
And now I'll show you two other birds.
This one is a Cape Bulbul (Pycnonotus capensis).
We have 10 different species of the Bulbul and some others are called Greenbuls. The locals call the bulbuls "Toppies", which means old guys.
And then I have two shots of a Cape Robin-chat (Cossypha caffra) that was very interested in something below our car.
I think he was hurrying me to pull the car away, and I hope that he got whatever it was that he saw.
And finally, we are in autumn now, and it's reckoned to be the most colorful season. Reds, golds, and yellows abound.
I have many adventures with the birds, and I call them adventures because I enjoy getting them on camera. Sometimes one has to search, and other times they pitch up in the open right close to one. A deeper look at the lives of the birds can also reveal some interesting facts.
Although an ever-growing list of species is exciting for birders, we should not lose sight of the fact that, worldwide, increased numbers of birds are becoming of conservation concern. The fates of threatened birds are tracked by BirdLife International, and the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), which jointly produce the global Red Data list for birds. Southern Africa has 7 species that are Critically Endangered and that face a very high risk of extinction in the near future.
Source: Book. Birds of Southern Africa. ISBN 978-1-77584-668-0.
I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the story.
Photos by Zac Smith. All-Rights-Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
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