Peregrine Falcon

Description:

The Peregrine Falcon lives mostly along mountain ranges, river valleys, coastlines, and increasingly in cities. In mild-winter regions, it is usually a permanent resident, and some individuals, especially adult males, will remain on the breeding territory. Only populations that breed in Arctic climates typically migrate great distances during the northern winter. The Peregrine Falcon reaches faster speeds than any other animal on the planet when performing the stoop, which involves soaring to a great height and then diving steeply at speeds of over 320 km/h (200 mph), hitting one wing of its prey so as not to harm itself on impact.

Notes:

Extensive In-Field Notes: -Arrived to location aprx. 6:30am -Location aprx. 130 ft from perch and nest. Can't get to close, preserved area. Rock affectionally known as"Goat Rock" about 50 ft high. -Saw PEFA pair fly down, complimenting each others sweeps of motion 2-3 ft apart. Guessing morning pre-flight warm up. -Went to hunt together aprx 7:00am. -1 came back at 7:17am with no food. It returned from the opposite direction it took off in. -7:36am Still no sign of PEFA 2. It could very well be back by now and I just didn't see it's approach (perched on other side of rock-out of view). -PEFA 1 left to hunt by itself at 7:38am. Still no sign of PEFA 2. -7:42am PEFA 2 returns with food. Can't see what it is. Also still can't see where it's perched. -7:53 PEFA 1 returns with no food. -8:03 PEFA 1 leaves to hunt. Aprx. every ten minutes they go hunting if they fail hunting from before? -8:22 PEFA 1 sighted in the distance near shoreline (cliff with ocean). It looks like it could be eating on the wing. Too far to say precisely. -8:45 Still no sign of PEFA 1. Flew to the right over a hill maybe 400 yards away. Maybe has another perch? PEFA 2 still has not left left as far as I've noticed. Im thinking PEFA 2 is the male because of it's smaller size. -8:53 PEFA 2 (?) returns from the left, to the right of the rock, then drops down to meet, what I thought was PEFA 1 but turns out to be a male Northern Harrier. Similar in size, the flew side by side for about 300 ft in an unthreatening posture, no presentation of talons (a territorial threat display). -8:26 No sight of either PEFA's. They both flew over the hill on the right side. I think they have a hunting ground over there. Could be hours. Time to go. I cannot divulge the location as they are protected and watched over by Rangers and a specialist raptor team which includes myself.