The world-famous Peregrine Falcon on show. The fastest bird in the world.

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(Edited)

The early morning rain clouds were moving away, and we had coffee at one of the disabled children care centers.
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What a luck, as on instinct, or as usual I took a walk with my camera.

The rain stopped earlier and according to the weatherman's crystal ball, we could expect a nice 25C high in the day. He was not wrong, as the skies cleared up a short time after we left the center.
For some obscure reason, I left my camera bag at the table and I only took my camera on the walk. It would cost me dearly and I will show you in here a bit later why.
So, come and join me on the walk.

Ever so slowly, the clouds became lighter in color as they moved over the mountains.
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Let me introduce you to the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
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Now let me show you where I got the falcon on camera.
I took a walk as the center is on a very large property and something didn't look right to me at the top of the tree in the photo below.
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A bit of a closer zoom and I thought it was a dove or a pigeon.
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But no! That was no dove or pigeon as it was a junior Peregrine Falcon.
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Yep, the real McCoy, and he looked me straight in the eye.
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The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world, as well as the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). As is typical for bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males.

Source

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The red low battery light on my camera started flashing and at the same time the peregine started fluffing his feathers. Normally when a bird starts to fluff, then they get ready to fly.
So, I fervently hoped that my battery would last, as I wanted to get the bird taking off from the tree.
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But no go, as he started cleaning under his wings. And Pfft! my battery died. I rushed back at a slow high speed to get to my camera bag for a spare battery, but when I returned, the bird was long gone.
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This was what the hill in the first photo looked like later in the day.
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We like to support other nonprofits and by paying for coffee and a light meal at this center's art and coffee shop, means that that we are supporting them indirectly. As a bonus here today, I also got a few other very interesting photos that I will show you soon. The art section at the school is well attended and some great artists also put their works on show there.

Talking about art, a fellow Hivean visited one of our partnering nonprofits, as we wanted to show him some of our work. He was introduced to the CEO who joined us to show our Hive guest around and an unbelievably successful, true story about the discovery of a young artist's talent at the art section of the place was shared with our guest. I am sure that he will share the story soon in a post here on Hive.

I hope that you have enjoyed the story and the pictures.

And That's All Friends.

Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.

Thank you kindly for supporting a post on behalf of @papilloncharity

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What an amazing discovery, my friend, I can imagine how you felt - what a beautiful and seldom seen bird this is 😀

Luckily, I rarely photograph wildlife, so mostly I can take my time if a battery gets empty because a mountain wouldn't fly away 😉

!invest_vote

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Thank you, and at times the rain is a real bonus my friend, as when it stops, the raptors are desperate to get food. That bird can dive down from that tree in a second if he saw a rat, or a mouse in the grass below. I have photos of him sitting with prey, but none of him flying and striking, as he is way too fast 😉

I can just imagine your surprise and fright if a mountain has to suddenly open its wings and rise up into the sky 🤣🤣🤣

Cheers and thanks.

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You're most welcome, my friend 😊

He's too fast for you? That must be really fast because as far as I know, there's no bird that you can't photograph in flight, and I'm sure one day you'll also get this one 😃

Haha, that would vertainly be a surprise, but I think a mountain wouldn't be able to fly as fast as a Peregrine Falcon, so I might catch it in flight 😂 !LOLZ

Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
!invest_vote

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No, no I got him in flight several times my friend, but to get him in flight when he strikes the prey is a matter of a different horse. One day is right as I can only hope and pray 🙏

Hahaha, but you have to beware as the mountain might land on top of you, and then you will turn from a goat into a man of stone !LOLZ

Cheers and thanks.

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I hope for you to get this shot because I know how happy you would be and I would love to see it 😀

And foremost if the mountain lands on me it destroys the camera and my proof photo of a flying mountain is gone 😂 !LOLZ

Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
!invest_vote

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One day maybe my friend and one never knows 😉

Now if I was you, I would be more worried about being turned into stone than the camera and the photo, as then the proof photo will be buried under tons of rock, never to be found 🤣 !LOLZ

Cheers and thanks.

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When the mountain doesn't want people to see that it's flying then I will keep it secret and won't tell anyone ... and that way I hopefully will not turned into stone 🤣 !LOLZ

Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
!invest_vote

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Hahaha, the photos will be so great that it will be impossible to keep it a secret and the mountain knows that. So, the mountain is not stupid and it will make sure that it lands on you, as that would be a permanent secret. Maybe one of the mountain peaks will look like and Austrian mountain goat after the mountain landed 😁 !LOLZ

Cheers and thanks.

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It seems I will have big troubles if I press the shutter button, so I will put my camera down as soon as the mountain lifts off and just enjoy the flight ... and I will never tell enybody that mountains can fly 😎 !LOLZ

Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
!invest_vote

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Now this is the best solution that I have ever read. The mountain will then not fear that it it's secret of flying will be revealed, as there will be no evidence and if you tell people what you saw they will think that you need to be placed into a mental asylum 🤣 !LOLZ

Cheers and thanks.

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Yep, I also think that this is the best solution you have ever read that someone doesn't get smashed by a flying mountain 🤣 !LOLZ

Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
!invest_vote

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Well I have heard of flying pink elephants and if an elephant can fly, then we can expect that someone will say that they saw a flying mountain. As long as that someone is not you or me 😁 !LOLZ

Cheers and thanks.

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Very true 😂 !LOLZ

!invest_vote

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Wow! I showed Marian and it's a great little video. Thanks 🤣 !LOLZ

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👉😊👈 !LOLZ

Have a !PIZZA from me, served with !LUV
!invest_vote

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Nice capture!

Bird against a grey sky perched high up in that tree, not easy feat getting the photography you got.

Had an eventful sighting myself on a weekend walk !LOLZ

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Thank you Lady Joan, a bit muddy and slippery, but I moved as slow as a tortoise else the bird would fly.

Looking forward to seeing your eventful event !LOLZ

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Very little rain here, slippy slide not so much fun when you in stealth mode.

!WINEX

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The rain will come, I am sure. Yip, slippy slide always turns it into more of an adventure, when I have to play ghost.

!WINEX

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Not enough rain here, slipped back to warm days, no ghosts here yet.... !LOLZ

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We are also worried about the rain here, as the dam levels are much lower than they were at the same time last year. Thankfully it seems that we will only be in the 20Cs next week.
Well if I were to visit your township, then there will be one ghost around !LOLZ

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Still around 27C once again, with water and electricity still being a problem many have arrived from inland this Easter weekend.

!LUV have a great day ghosting around 🤣

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A sad situation and I simply cannot understand why all of the repairs after those devastating floods have not enjoyed priority. So you guys will be swamped with holiday visitors again and no doubt that they will all return with bad stories about KZN.

We were at a top 20C today and the temps will remain low for the next two weeks hallelujah.

!LUV and ghosting limited with the soft, but wet rain around !LOLZ

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Freeway not repaired, rail bridge not repaired, sewage not repaired, so the show goes on with empty promised, not only our area it's most of Ethekweni ANC run region.

North Coast is up and running lower South Coast is up and running, yet here we sit with homeless still in church halls, feeding programs via giving souls, we the residents still protect our own streets!

Warm weather with many very silly people swimming in the sea !LOLZ

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So sad and let's hope that with the approaching voting in 2024, that they will now jump out and start to repair things.

It is great that you guys are helping where you can and it is really sad times for those that were left destitute. Good that the community stand together in protecting their areas.

No chance that I will swim in that water, as even the fish stay away !LOLZ

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Youth need to get out and vote, hopefully stigma of past is shelved leaning to toward a fair selection of people to govern.

New direction for Africa by Africans not being swayed with East/West ideology, raped by outside interference making a handful rich, historically is what is/has happened.

We are forced to stand together, not ideal in good neighbourliness when people over the next hill are treated in a suspicious manner.

!LUV

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I also read that the ruling party and the red berets are now combining their efforts to raise votes for the ruling party to stay in control. Interesting times that we live in.

Never been like that before, but the times, they are a changing 😢

!LUV

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So many stories doing the rounds one steps back, wait and watch, this could boil over into civil unrest with unruly bunch in control, thugs trying to board the gravy train that has departed!

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All that we can do. Wait and watch and we might all become refugees soon.

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We are all of such mixed blood where too? Who would ever want to step out of line and be accepting. The whole concept of a Global Village is absurd.

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(Edited)

Well, I am a mixed blood of many nations and the world is my oyster. Only joking as I am too old and with my chronical status, I can only emigrate to the local scrapyard 😁

Agreed as not the 60s anymore, so global village is only a pipe dream !LOLZ

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Most of us are mixed, I think we all one, still muddling around trying to impose man made ideology of which many are wrong. !LUV

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I read a lovely poem somewhere that states the fact that we are all one. What happens to one, affects the whole. Manmade ideology sucks.

!LUV

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Enjoy what you have or make the most of it, too short to squander!

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You certainly don't hesitate when it comes to capturing a good shot even if it involves risks haha, well thanks for showing me the hawk, great and hey what a good job you do.

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I have lived on the edge for most of my life my friend, and risks don't worry me too much.
Glad that you liked the hawk and thank you for the compliment.
!PIZZA

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(Edited)

PIZZA!

$PIZZA slices delivered:
@johannpiber(4/15) tipped @papilloncharity (x5)
papilloncharity tipped molometer (x4)
molometer tipped papilloncharity
papilloncharity tipped azulejo52

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I had peregrines nesting above my office window at a previous job. I got to see them flying off sometimes. Amazing birds and you got some great shots. You must have steady hands.

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Just to see them is a gift my friend. I also got the peregrine in flight on a few occasions and here is the most frequent one.

High up in the sky and scouting for prey.
My hands were much steadier in my younger days, and lately I rely more on luck :)

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Nice capture. Photographing wildlife is not easy but a bit of wet weather can help sometimes. The falcon looks beautiful if a bit bedraggled 😂

Pro tip. Always carry a spare battery lol👍🏼

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Thank you and a bit of slip and slide is always an adventure. Cleaning the wet off its feathers.

Hahaha, Luckily I don't regard myself as a pro, just an old stupid guy !LOL

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Getting the shot is enough to make you a pro by my reckoning. Tricky subject wildlife.
Plus.
We get rewarded for posting our photos so technically in economic terms you are a pro.
📷💯😊👨‍💻💯

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Well, I respect your opinion and if you say so, then I am okay with it. Wildlife is indeed a tricky subject, but luckily when I started with photography, I trained on getting dragonflies, as per the advice of a professional friend. He said that if I could get the small things, then the big things would be easier.
Sage advice.

Have a !BEER and enjoy your weekend.

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Very sage advice for sure. Dragonflies are incredibly interesting creatures to photograph. So much detail especially using a macro lens.

Have a slice on me !PIZZA 🍕😊👍🏼

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Agreed and it really helped a lot. One has to learn the approach and all of the other skills and once mastered then it becomes fairly easy to get them on camera. I only use a fixed lens with a macro setting, but the guys with the special macro lenses get them in much more beautiful detail.

Some more !PIZZA also for you 👌

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The right lens helps so much. I used a canon 75-300mm lens to film some hares boxing in the countryside and got some nice footage and photos.

I sat hidden in a field for hours waiting for the hares to turn up but it was worth it to me.
The experience gave me a greater appreciation of the work of wildlife documentary film makers.
Luckily the weather was fine 😂👍🏼

Thanks for the pizza much appreciated 👍🏼

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Oh yeah, the proper macro lenses can certainly work their magic so much better.
A long wait is most times rewarded and I say most times, as sometimes I can sit in a stake out for half a day and come away with nothing. Glad to see that you got some hare action.

I love the work of the documentary photographers, but sadly it's an expensive game, so not for me.
I am however a member of the South African Photographic Society, which gives me some clout to enter the nature reserves.

Weather doesn't bother me much, as I simply go out there and do my thing !LOL

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We like the way you play the game! !PGM
Thanks for being a supporter of The LOLZ Project.

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member of the South African Photographic Society, which gives me some clout to enter the nature reserves.

How interesting wish I'd known about this society years ago.

I lived in Cape town for many years and visited many nature reserves and safari sites. Our 4x4 got chased by a herd of Cape buffalo and I managed to get it on film.
Very freaky but exciting too. 🎬📽😂👍🏼

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Ah! So you lived here and then you are bound to know all inside out. Especially after visiting the reserves and have a great adventure with some buffalos. I had an argument for road space with a young elephant some time ago and it was an interesting affair. Nothing on camera though, as I was not into photography at the time.
You should do a post about the buffalo event.

So where are you living now?

!PIZZA

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I'm back in the UK now but I miss SA big time. It is such an awe inspiring place. I had a run in with a Bull elephant as well lol and got it on film. It was 20+ years ago so not the greatest quality video but a great encounter. We backed off sharpish lol.
I think I did a post on the Buffalo encounter. I'll see if I can find it. Here it is. I was demoing a piece of recording technology in the video. https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxEXtxFYuHmHBaw-SVVHO0olxweRu5DZug

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I cannot understand why my reply to this was not recorded.
That is a great short video and yep, you don't want to tangle or tango with a buffalo !LOL
Lucky that you are here after the encounter with the elephant.
SA is still the same country wise, but things have changed for the worse people wise.
!PIZZA

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I cannot understand why my reply to this was not recorded.

I think it may be because the comment thread is so long and it's getting truncated?

Yep those buffaloes are pretty ferocious lol

Sorry to hear about the issues in SA. We have family there so we hear about all the problems with Eskom and the people running things. 🤦‍♂️🤯

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Yeah, cool, we can stop after this methinks.

Then you are well informed about what's happening over here. But still, we hope and pray that things will improve.

Thank you for the chats and have a !PIZZA

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Now I am jelous, 😄you got that incredible bird. Even if you missed the take off, you got these memorable photos.

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