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Avnav8r
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Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 999
Location: Trenton, Georgia
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 Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:23 am Post subject: Peregrine Falcon with a tandem passenger |
 #1 |
Hey,
We have released another young Peregrine Falcon at Rock City (www.seerockcity.com) this year. His name is Fourscore (for eighty years, Rock City is celebrating its 80th year as an attraction). Jeff Raabe of Rock City set up a wildlife camera on the release box and captured a photo (click on the photo to enlarge) of Fourscore leaving the release box with a chick we left for him to eat. It has been fun watching him hone his flying skills. Yesterday, I saw him making high speed passes over the hack box after I put the food out on top of the box. The wind was blowing into the cliff at about 15 m.p.h. and when he dove into the lift he would pull out of the dive with a barrel roll and would then fly at high speed right over the food platform. On one pass, he swished over my head and was probably doing between 100-150 m.p.h.! If you want to follow his progress go to our blogspot at www.soarsouth.blogspot.com . Thanks!
John Stokes
www.soarsouth.org
www.osceolabaldeagle.com
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NMERider
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Joined: 07 Apr 2008
Posts: 7476
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| Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:11 am Post subject: |
#2 |
But did you have to sacrifice my Easter chick?!?  
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Avnav8r
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Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 999
Location: Trenton, Georgia
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| Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 3:20 pm Post subject: |
#3 |
| NMERider wrote: |
| But did you have to sacrifice my Easter chick?!? |
Yeah, because he has already eaten the Easter Bunny! I witnessed a dogfight today that involved four Turkey Vultures and this Peregrine. There was one chick left on the feeding platform and Fourscore was sitting on a light pole near the owner of Rock City's house. A low soaring Turkey Vulture spied the unaccompanied chick and set up an approach to land on the box. The Peregrine was to have none of this and left his perch and landed on the platform. The vulture was only slightly deterred and once the Peregrine was on the chick, the vulture came in to land with the intention of dislodging the chick from the Peregrine's grasp. The Peregrine launched off the platform into very soarable air and the chase began. Within a minute, three other vultures joined in the pursuit. At first, the Peregrine seemed to be a bit un-nerved but after a few minutes, he started screaming and diving at the vultures, all the while carrying the chick in his feet. The original T.V. continued his harassment and on one pass overhead, the Turkey Vulture seemed to be closing on the Peregrine. With the vulture on his tail, the Peregrine sped up and executed a high speed, high-banked 360 and in less than two seconds was on the vulture's tail. The very confused vulture began spinning in attempts to lose the now aggressive falcon. The other vultures gave up their chase after the falcon dove at them a few times. The Peregrine finally lost the original aggressor and found a quiet tree to finish his dinner. Final score: Peregrine 4, Turkey Vultures:0
John Stokes
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NMERider
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Joined: 07 Apr 2008
Posts: 7476
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| Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 6:42 pm Post subject: |
#4 |
| Avnav8r wrote: |
| ....the Turkey Vulture seemed to be closing on the Peregrine. With the vulture on his tail, the Peregrine sped up and executed a high speed, high-banked 360 and in less than two seconds was on the vulture's tail..... |
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Bobfly
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Joined: 13 Nov 2009
Posts: 3719
Location: San Diego, Ca.
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 7:07 am Post subject: |
#5 |
That's an awesome story, John. Keep us updated please. I'm glad you had another successful release. 
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Avnav8r
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Joined: 06 Jan 2008
Posts: 999
Location: Trenton, Georgia
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| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:26 pm Post subject: |
#6 |
Hey Bab,
Thanks for the reply! It has been fun watching him gain confidence and to watch his flying skills improve. I've noticed that he is starting to incorporate more dives into his average flights. He still has a way to go before he is going over 200 m.p.h., but even a falcon has to learn new skills.
John
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