Peregrines dive as if in a dream,
snatching birds in mid-flight,
landing to administer the coup de grace.
Mantling prey on the ground for seconds,
they soon return to rule the skies!
Cheers to you from the lightening-fast-Falcons~
Note: Peregrine Falcons are the fastest-moving creatures on earth and have been clocked diving at up to 242 mph!
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
That bird has such a serious, no nonsense, look in his eyes.
LikeLike
He’s fabulous, isn’t he?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi – beautiful photographs. Amazing birds. I don’t want to appear like Mister Knowall but I don’t think it’s entirely true to say they land to administer the coup de grace – assuming by which you mean the kill. In fact, they often hit their prey so hard at that colossal diving speed that it breaks its neck or back in the air. Read an amazing book called simply ‘The Peregrine’ by J.A.Baker and published by Collins. He devoted years of his life to watching and getting to know the peregrines that lived and hunted in one southern country of the UK.
LikeLike
Correction – in the last line the word ‘country’ should be ‘county’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are, very beautiful… as are all Cindy’s photographs.
LikeLike
And beautiful, too!
LikeLike
Very 🙂
LikeLike
Wow, that is one speedy avian!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stunning images Sue, is this a pet?
LikeLike
Not my photos, Denis…reblogged from Cindy Knoke.
LikeLike
Thank you Sue for your thoughtfulness and support of the peregrines! They were at the brink of extinction a few decades ago from the impacts of DDT and hunting, but have recovered to the point where they are now the most numerous raptor in the world. They do kill or disable in mid-air but also administer the coup-de-grace on ground if the job wasn’t completed, and then they pluck before they dine! We know they are around The Holler when we find a big piles of feathers and nervous birdies! They have a nicatating membrane, or third eyelid, they can see through, when they dive to protect their eyes much like sharks.
Cheers to you Sue & be well!
LikeLike
They are beautiful birds, Cindy. We see few of them here, though we have a similar story with the reintroduction of the red kites that I love and which soar over my home every day now.
LikeLike