Raptors I Have Known and Loved

A collection of my photos of owls, falcons, hawks, eagles and other hungry birds.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books (see link) and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre” which are still up at PBS.org. Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for free.

Before we get to this week’s collection of my photographs, a little follow-up on the Tracy Chapman mania sparked by the Grammys on Sunday. Yesterday her “Fast Car” from 1988 went to #1 on ITunes. Some have claimed she hasn’t performed in public for decades, but she did do “Talkin About a Revolution” on Seth Meyers in 2020 with an overt Vote message. (And here’s New York Times today on where she has been the past 15 years.) Below, her last big hit, in 1995, the fine “Give Me One Reason.”

»»Birds of Prey

Now on to the latest excavation from my personal photo file, all snapped in past five years. So we will go roughly in order of size…..

American Kestrel

A small falcon. Known for its hovering ability. Here at Lake Mohonk.

Peregrine Falcon

Fastest creature on earth, here shaking it out, preparing for flight, at Stateline Lookout, NY/NJ.

A fledgling (young) Peregrine, also at Stateline.

Gyr Falcon

Croton-on-Hudson, NY.

Owls

Eurasian Eagle Owl, “Boogie” (maybe cousin to celebrated “Flaco”), Goshen, N.Y.

Barn Owl, Mohonk.

Snowy Owl, rare visitor this far south at Piermont on Hudson.

Barred Owl, “Woodstock,” Goshen, N.Y.

Hawks

Cooper’s Hawk, in our backyard, finishing a bloody good meal.

Red-Tail (duh), across the street at top of tall tree.

Osprey

Piermont Marsh.

Lunchtime on the Hudson.

Bald Eagle

Grooming, on the Hudson off Piermont Pier.

A few minutes later….

High over Stateline Lookout.