Surprise visitor to DetroitYES HQ - Peregrine Falcon

What a delight. A juvenile peregrine falcon landed on our sill yesterday. One of our team snapped this picture with an autumnal backdrop of the United Artist Building, Grand Circus Park and the Tiger's ball park.
http://detroityes.com/webisodes/2014/peregrine.jpg

From Wikipedia:
The peregrine falcon [[Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sizedfalcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache". As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, females being considerably larger than males.The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 322 km/h [[200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop [[high speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom.According to a National Geographic TV programme, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h [[242 mph)

Here is a related Jimaz thread from 2009.
Peregrine Falcons On Camera Again Nesting On Building

Video clip by Book Building urbexer.
http://youtu.be/DOrqHGO8YB8

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lowell

What a delight. A juvenile peregrine falcon landed on our sill yesterday. One of our team snapped this picture with an autumnal backdrop of the United Artist Building, Grand Circus Park and the Tiger's ball park.
http://detroityes.com/webisodes/2014/peregrine.jpg

From Wikipedia:
The peregrine falcon [[Falco peregrinus), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sizedfalcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache". As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, females being considerably larger than males.The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 322 km/h [[200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop [[high speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom.According to a National Geographic TV programme, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h [[242 mph)

Here is a related Jimaz thread from 2009.
Peregrine Falcons On Camera Again Nesting On Building

Video clip by Book Building urbexer.
http://youtu.be/DOrqHGO8YB8

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Nice post and video. In Spring the males go into an acrobatic mode to impress the females. It's amazing watching them dive off a building, within inches of the ground and do loop-de-loops. They'll carry on like that for 20 minutes or so. Unbelievably fast.

Amazing closeup shots. I would think they would get spooked and fly away. Maybe the reflection off the glass is concealing the photographer from the bird?

in the 1980s, i worked in the Guardian Building and the DNR placed a nest of Pergrines on the roof. They were around for a couple of years before moving on. They set up a video camera and had the TV broadcast in the lobby.

It was a treat to see them soar and when they would land on your window sill. They took out several pigeons also.

Awesome! Thanks for sharing the photos Lowell. I saw one in the parking lot of a fast food joint a few years back on the fence. To see one up close is quite an experience!

PEREGRINE FALCON STRIKES DUCK MIDAIR from the falcon's point of view.

Be wary of this bird and keep your distance. He's obviously very upset that our Lion's beat his team on Sunday.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Downriviera

Be wary of this bird and keep your distance. He's obviously very upset that our Lion's beat his team on Sunday.

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...over in the great metropolis of the Old World.

Thank you for sharing the pic. I really enjoy bird watching. A falcon lived across the way in a huge dead tree from a client. Never could get a good picture. He did like to dine however on local pheasants.
A big thrill however was to see two eagles do a fly over. Naturally no camera available. Wild Birds unlimited in GPF confirmed I saw them. I had no clue that they don't really look like bald eagles until they are 3 to 5 years old. They are huge with incredible wing span