Photo of the Day – July 5, 2017

Peregrine Falcon

This morning I drove out to the cliffs at dawn to spend sunrise with a family of Peregrine falcons. I had hoped to find the lone fledgling, but instead I found the adult female on a cliff about fifty yards away. She didn’t seem troubled by my presence and so we sat for nearly two hours as she preened and constantly surveyed her surroundings for threats. My mind wandered to decades earlier when the cliffs were silent from Peregrines, the use of DDT as pesticide eradicating every last one of the eastern US breeding pairs. And I marvel at what a great privilege it is to share a morning with this beautiful and powerful raptor thanks to the successful restoration of the species. I didn’t find the fledgling this morning. But based on the behavior of both adults I know she is around somewhere, possibly off exploring, enjoying the independence afforded by her new wings. It was a special treat to share my morning with this adult. Before I left the cliffs I found the adult female one last time, this time perching on her favorite tree. The cliff overlooking the tree is a little closer than she prefers so I snapped a quick shot and headed home, savoring the memory of my sunrise with the falcon. July 5, 2017