This magnificent bird is the Porsche of the feathered world. Peregrine Falcons can reach speeds of 200 mph in a dive. They can be seen at Yosemite usually near dusk and just after dawn. They do their best hunting then. Their primary prey are medium sized birds. They circle lazily, scanning for a meal, then slam down into the prey’s wing. If you areon Half Dome, scan the horizon for them. While on a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon we witnessed a kill. Out of nowhere, a Peregrine collided with a bird and a ball of feathered exploded. Amazing. The birds have made a strong comeback from the days of DDT. In my town of San Jose, CA there are Peregrines nesting on a ledge of a tall building. The city has installed a camera to allow people to watch their development. Click here.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Cause Im as free as a bird now,  and this bird you’ll never change”. Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

*Carpe Diem Experience– Rick Deutsch–www.HikeHalfDome.com*