It’s Spring, and the nesting Peregrine Falcons are back here on the coast. This is my third year of making a real point of watching them, and it continues to be fascinating.
The need for long lenses continued to be a challenge, so I borrowed Canon’s 2022 RF1200mm lens. Although sharpness remains a problem, from atmopsherics, to focus challenges, the added focal length did help dramatically.
Part of the challenge is angle of view for seeing into the nesting cave. The closer I got to the cliffs, the more I am looking up, and the shallower the view in. Further away provides a deeper interior view, but of course, is further away, demanding more focal length. I usually choose an in-between point, but the view of the birds depends on how close to the front of the cave they happen to be.
The babies have grown very fast, losing their down and discovering their wings in the course of only 5 days, right front of us.
A fellow photographer on the hillside told me of a wonderful 1967 book, The Peregine by J. A. Baker. I’m enjoying his words. The book has further deepen my interest.
After a week’s loan of the lens, and many hours out on the often cold and windy cliffs, I think I’ve given a good try to the effort and present a few for you here.
I’ll add more here as I sort through recent photos.
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