I’ve been hoping to witness a clash between peregrines and snowy owls but so far I’ve never been in the right place at the right time. Others have been luckier:
- On November 29 Steve Gosser captured this photo of a peregrine attacking a snowy owl at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. Shawn Collins saw them, too.
- On December 2, Tom Johnson captured a video(!) and stills of a peregrine attacking a snowy owl at Stone Harbor Point, New Jersey. Click here to see it on 10,000 Birds.
- During the snowy owl invasion two years ago, Rick Remington captured close-ups of a resident peregrine falcon strafing a snowy at Chicago’s Montrose Harbor in late January 2012. The snowy defended itself by doing somersaults to present its talons to the peregrine!
- Speaking of talons, take a peek at this photo by John Mattera of a peregrine and snowy at Jones Beach, Long Island during a fight in December 2009. Click here for the story and photos from New York DEC’s newsletter.
Peregrines are so cool.
Wish I’d been there!
(photo by Steve Gosser)
We were at Presque Isle photographing the owls on the 8th of this month. One of the owls flew next to another one down the beach when two falcons came in for the attack. Wish we were closer to capture the battle but was great to see all the same. We did come away with a decent falcon shot when they flew closer. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mpbader/11388247034/