Prairie Falcons

Prairie Falcons are large falcons with pointed wings, medium length tails, brown above and pale below with brown markings. They have a light line above the brow and a brown mustache stripe.

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |2020-12-29T16:50:22-07:00December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

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.

Prairie Falcon with Prey in Box Elder County, Utah (Graphic)

By |2021-03-13T13:23:50-07:00January 14th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Immature Prairie Falcon At Sunrise Next To The Great Salt Lake

By |2023-11-18T07:28:20-07:00December 6th, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The bird that started my day was an immature Prairie Falcon at sunrise next to the Great Salt Lake and as the sun started to rise the falcon seemed to glow.

Centennial Valley Prairie Falcon and a Short-eared Owl Barbed Wire Casualty

By |2021-08-10T15:51:53-06:00September 18th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Prairie Falcons, Short-eared Owls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent some time in the Centennial Valley of Montana yesterday and the best bird of the morning was this adult Prairie Falcon photographed on a cattle chute with a white cloud in the background.

Antelope Island Spiders – An Important Part of the Food Web

By |2021-07-11T15:31:00-06:00August 2nd, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Brine Flies, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah, Western Spotted Orbweaver|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This coming Saturday, August 8, 2015, is the date 0f the annual Spider Festival on Antelope Island State Park and there should be plenty of spiders to be seen, almost a bumper crop of them!

Posts from the Past – Raptors

By |2022-10-04T06:18:50-06:00July 28th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bald Eagles, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Prairie Falcons, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am focusing on older posts that have raptors in them starting with Prairie Falcons then Swainson's Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks and Bald Eagles

First year Prairie Falcon

By |2021-08-10T15:55:09-06:00May 10th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the fall of 2011 I enjoyed being able to photograph this first year Prairie Falcon several times close to the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Adult Prairie Falcon With A Full Crop

By |2024-02-22T03:40:23-07:00December 8th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wish I had been in a better position with a better angle of light but due to vegetation growing along the road there were just a few clear areas between the Rabbitbrush to get an unobstructed view of the Prairie Falcon but I do like how the photo shows off the full crop.

Prairie Falcon with a Northern Shoveler as prey (Graphic)

By |2023-11-18T07:25:40-07:00November 11th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this morning I spotted a Prairie Falcon perched on a rock while on the Antelope Island Causeway, before we could get stopped and into position to photograph the falcon it took off over the water and attacked a Northern Shoveler.

Winter’s First Snow

By |2021-02-28T07:18:37-07:00October 25th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Mallards, Prairie Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I write this the first snow of winter is falling outside my living room window. For the past week I have seen the snow on the mountain tops and I had been looking forward to seeing the snow covering the Salt Lake Valley.

You’ll never know unless you go

By |2020-03-12T14:08:09-06:00October 8th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Prairie Falcons, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Kind a of a crazy title but it is a mantra that I live by when it comes to my bird and nature photography. It simply means that unless I go out shooting I won't know what I am missing.

Low light juvenile Prairie Falcon

By |2021-08-10T16:07:29-06:00September 22nd, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

One foggy morning last December I spotted this juvenile Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) perched on a frost-covered rock on the causeway to Antelope Island SP with the Great Salt Lake in the background.

Prairie Falcon ~ The Fun Keeps Going

By |2021-03-13T13:50:05-07:00March 6th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

I have had an amazing time photographing Prairie Falcons (Falco mexicanus) since last fall. Since the ducks are no longer near the causeway to Antelope Island I have had a more difficult time locating them because they are now searching for their normal winter diet of Western Meadowlarks and Horned Larks which are found more "inland" on the island.

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!

More Prairie Falcon Fun ~ This time with prey

By |2021-03-13T13:43:18-07:00December 28th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week while out photographing I spotted a Prairie Falcon in the midst of a tussle with two Common Ravens in mid air. At times it seemed that the falcon was chasing the ravens and then the tables would turn and it appeared that the ravens were diving at the falcon.

Friday Photos ~ Prairie Falcon

By |2021-08-10T16:06:07-06:00December 16th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Many of my regular readers probably know that I have been having a great time the past month photographing Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons so I selected an image of a Prairie Falcon to post for my Friday Photos today.

Go to Top