"Bold Huntress"

Peregrine Falcon

(Falco peregrinus calidus)

     We always want something, which we don’t have....Perfect description for me, Always want to learn & captured raptors, they always fascinated me.

     In my 2 years’ journey of wildlife photography I got very few chances to captured them. But last Sunday luck was in my favor. One of my birding friend (we called him Raptor man) asked me for LRK (Little Run of Kutch) trip, the place in my wish list since a long time. I was very excited as it was my first visit to LRK. It is a haven for avian diversity ranging from waders to raptors. The desert located in Gujarat, India, is a unique landscape that offers unlimited opportunities to enjoy nature and wildlife.

     We started our journey at 3 am from Ahmedabad and we reached to LRK at 6.30 am. When first time I saw this place one word came in mind... “land without boundaries” it is a vast desiccated, unbroken bare surface of dark silt, encrusted with salts which transforms into a spectacular coastal wetland after the rains. When we entered into saline desert of little run, our first sighting was wild ass… but we didn’t capture any image as we only interested in raptors…almost after 1 hour of drive suddenly we saw female Montagu’s Harrier... First lifer from LRK… we spent almost half an hour with that beauty and then she flew away. In next 5 hours, we only spotted 5 Common Kestrels and pair of Montagu’s Harrier in raptors.

   After lunch our journey began and it was time for 2nd lifer... Peregrine falcon. In journey of birding after Red necked falcon this was my second falcon species.

   Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird & the fastest member of the animal kingdom(320km/hours). Usually female is 20% larger than male. Adults have blue-gray wings, dark brown backs, a buff colored underside with brown spots, and white faces with a black tear stripe on their cheeks. 

         This Female Peregrine was special one. Big, bold...& I called her “bold huntress” as she had killed harrier once.

         Peregrine Falcons are formidable hunters those prey on other birds and mammals such as rabbits & bats in high speed dive. During its spectacular hunting stoop from heights of over 1 km, the Peregrine may reach speeds of 320 km/h as it drops toward its prey..