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Jody Melanson
07-05-2008, 09:01 PM
http://jmelanson.smugmug.com/photos/326015771_Zjd8h-O.jpg

Model = Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
Exposure Time = 1/1250"
F Number = F8
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Metering Mode = Spot
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 400mm
Color Space = sRGB
Exposure Mode = Manual exposure
Handheld using Bushhawk
Full frame with left side cropped off

Thanks to Brandon Holden, I found out about an active nest of Peregrines in Niagara Falls. I went to bed at 11:30pm and got up at 3am to leave by 4am. We took a drive down there to see what we could get. We saw 5 Peregrines in the sky at one point. Got some full frame perched images, portraits, flight. It was a thrill to just watch the juveniles fly around and play attack each other or tuck and dive at a hundred or two miles an hour. Well when this parent Peregrine was gliding by, I noticed it started flapping its wings and commented that maybe it was going after something. Seconds later it nailed this Pigeon 30' from us! Awesome! I got 23 frames of the action.

Interesting to me was that the Peregrine grabbed the Pigeon out of the air with her talons. Then she grabbed the neck of the pigeon and broke its neck immediately.

This picture was made after she broke the neck and flew past us to head back to feed the juveniles.

A spectacular morning spent in good company with some fabulous images to boot!

Doug Brown
07-05-2008, 09:37 PM
Your dedication paid off with a technically excellent photo of some incredible action! Awesome!

Judy Lynn Malloch
07-05-2008, 10:23 PM
Incredible image and incredible timing. It is amazing to me how much one can learn about these birds and how they livel their lives on a daily basis. Thanks for all the background info Jody on this capture and big congratulations on an awesome image. Niagara Falls is where i was born but I do not remember any Peregrine Falcons around.

Raymond Barlow
07-05-2008, 10:35 PM
Awesome shot Jody!

Stephen Stephen
07-05-2008, 10:45 PM
Jody big congratulations on this awesome image. It sounds as if you had a wonderful trip.

edward saltau
07-05-2008, 11:06 PM
awesome behaviour here Jody and a great photo in its own right!

James Salywoda
07-06-2008, 12:06 AM
Awesome action captured Jody!!!!!

Ramon M. Casares
07-06-2008, 12:59 AM
Just AWESOME.

Loukie Viljoen
07-06-2008, 01:48 AM
"What a shot I got " - brilliant, you can drive there in a month of , or year of Sundays and never get this again.Loukie

Nikolay Staykov - shotlandetsa
07-06-2008, 02:33 AM
simply unbelivable !!!

Chris van Rooyen
07-06-2008, 02:47 AM
This must rate as one of the best birds in action shots ever. Cannot fault it, everything is perfect:eek:. Congratulations :D

Loukie Viljoen
07-06-2008, 03:21 AM
Chris this is the dream shot of KTP.

Ken Watkins
07-06-2008, 03:38 AM
INCREDIBLE, the dream shot, I agree entirely with what Chris says, many congratulations.
The posts on this forum during the past week have been in the main almost unbelievable. What can we expect next.

hans stel
07-06-2008, 04:16 AM
What a wonderful shot!

Lana Hays
07-06-2008, 05:40 AM
Wow, Jody
I never thought I'd say I felt sorry for a pigeon.....but I think this is an exception. The action is extraordinary.

Fabs Forns
07-06-2008, 06:45 AM
I'm speechless!

Kaushik Balakumar
07-06-2008, 07:08 AM
Oh my god, one of the best actions - very well captured. Love to see more of them.
TFS.

Raul Quinones
07-06-2008, 09:19 AM
Great picture, great timing, awesome action.

Axel Hildebrandt
07-06-2008, 09:51 AM
Excellent capture, details and thanks for sharing the story. I didn't know peregrines would break the neck of their prey. At least the pigeon didn't need to suffer too much. Have you tried to lighten the parts of the plumage that is not sunlit?

Steve Wheeler
07-06-2008, 12:58 PM
This is just SICK...

Speechless is right...

Unbelievable!

Steve

Austin Thomas
07-06-2008, 02:33 PM
Fabulous. Well done.

Austin

Sid Garige
07-06-2008, 03:01 PM
Excellent details and with catch it is quite a story teller. Very well done.

Juan Carlos Vindas
07-06-2008, 04:13 PM
Simply wow.

david cramer
07-06-2008, 04:29 PM
Great work, Jody. Let's see more of this series!

Chris Zink
07-06-2008, 09:33 PM
I am totally amazed. I had no idea that they would grab another bird right out of the air - and one as large as that - WOW!

Chris Zink

Alfred Forns
07-06-2008, 09:50 PM
One of the most intense bird image I've seen posted !!! Big Time Congrats Jody !!!

IvoZafirov
07-07-2008, 02:17 AM
I admire this capture!!!! Regards!

praveen p mohandas
07-07-2008, 03:30 AM
excellent image....very nice contrast and well executed image....

Rebecca Gossard
07-07-2008, 06:00 PM
Any chance of seeing more of these remarkable photos? :)

Bill Bryant
07-07-2008, 11:02 PM
Awesome!

I think I would have run right out and bought a Lotto ticket before I even downloaded the images!

Ditto on the request to see more in the series.

Eddy Matuod
07-07-2008, 11:40 PM
Excellent!