{"id":3907,"date":"2011-12-28T07:10:33","date_gmt":"2011-12-28T13:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=3907"},"modified":"2024-12-24T05:31:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T11:31:06","slug":"more-prairie-falcon-fun-this-time-with-prey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/12\/28\/more-prairie-falcon-fun-this-time-with-prey\/","title":{"rendered":"More Prairie Falcon Fun ~ This time with prey"},"content":{"rendered":"

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. After pointing out the falcon, I got ready to photograph it.<\/p>\n

\"PrairiePrairie Falcon chasing a Common Raven – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Because the vehicle was still moving (I wasn’t driving), I was only able to get a few bad images of the tussle between the falcon and the ravens but the image above does show some of the fast and furious action that I saw.<\/p>\n

Immediately I wondered if there were some sort of prey involved and within seconds I was able to locate a dead duck on the ice below the road. The Prairie Falcon was able to chase away the ravens and then it\u00a0made several long sweeps back and forth above the prey.<\/p>\n

\"DorsalDorsal view of a Prairie Falcon – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/4000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or set up<\/span><\/p>\n

While the Prairie Falcon was cruising above the dead duck I was able to get a few images of it in flight. I am certain that I have photographed this particular falcon several times before because of the single light colored feather (actually the underside of the feather) on the top of the bird’s right wing.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"FullFull frame flight image of a Prairie Falcon – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or set up<\/span><\/p>\n

Photographing falcons in flight is always a challenge because they fly so fast but with practice it does become easier. The Prairie Falcon flew very close several times and I was able to get this full frame image as it cruised by without clipping anything.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\"PrairiePrairie Falcon with prey\u00a0–\u00a0 Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2500, ISO 500, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or set up<\/span><\/p>\n

After making several passes over the dead duck the Prairie Falcon swooped down and grabbed the prey in its talons and flew some distance away to dine on the duck. When it landed with the prey a Bald Eagle spotted it, flew in then\u00a0caused the falcon to drop the bird. The Bald Eagle grabbed the duck from the ground and flew out to land on the ice to feast on its stolen lunch.<\/p>\n

A very interesting morning, but then nature never disappoints me.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/span> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Prairie Falcon photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":138188,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,1022,1095,26],"tags":[2663,4257,3981,1129,4278,4078,4279,4052,1130,1131,519,4277,4106,153,1132,102],"class_list":["post-3907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-prairie-falcons","category-utah","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-corvus-corax","tag-davis-county","tag-duck","tag-falco-mexicanus","tag-falcon","tag-falcons","tag-flight","tag-food","tag-full-frame","tag-nature","tag-prairie-falcons","tag-prey","tag-raptors","tag-tussle","tag-wildlife"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/prairie-falcon-flight-mia-mcpherson-0044.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-111","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":44391,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/01\/14\/prairie-falcon-with-prey-in-box-elder-county-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":3907,"position":0},"title":"Prairie Falcon with Prey in Box Elder County, Utah (Graphic)","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Prairie Falcon adult with prey in winter, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-adult-prey-mia-mcpherson-4175.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-adult-prey-mia-mcpherson-4175.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-adult-prey-mia-mcpherson-4175.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-adult-prey-mia-mcpherson-4175.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3842,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/12\/16\/friday-photos-prairie-falcon\/","url_meta":{"origin":3907,"position":1},"title":"Friday Photos ~ Prairie Falcon","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 16, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Prairie Falcon in early morning light, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/prairie-falcon-mia-mcpherson-5355.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/prairie-falcon-mia-mcpherson-5355.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/prairie-falcon-mia-mcpherson-5355.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14926,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/05\/10\/a-first-year-prairie-falcon\/","url_meta":{"origin":3907,"position":2},"title":"First year Prairie Falcon","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Early morning Prairie Falcon, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/prairie-falcon-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9910.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/prairie-falcon-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9910.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/prairie-falcon-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9910.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3705,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/11\/17\/prairie-falcon-eureka-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":3907,"position":3},"title":"Prairie Falcon – Eureka Again!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 17, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Wow, two nemesis birds photographed in a week, this Prairie Falcon was amazing. I'll be grinning (and dancing) about this for quite awhile!","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Prairie Falcon getting ready for lift off, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-1st-year-mia-mcpherson-9922.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-1st-year-mia-mcpherson-9922.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/prairie-falcon-1st-year-mia-mcpherson-9922.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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