A raptor perched on an old house.
I had a beautiful encounter with a snowy owl on a barren hilltop near Namaka on Family Day. That was preceded by a mutual fascination that this juvenile prairie falcon and I shared for a long-abandoned house on the prairies.
I was driving the backroads after sunrise primarily to look for snowies. I like these drives on the winter prairie as the views are expansive and I always hope to see something unexpected. I had not visited this worn out farmstead before and I stopped to have a look. It was -27°C so I was content to take a couple of pictures out of the rolled down window – until I spied the falcon perched on the peak of the roof. Then I got out and walked slowly closer.
After 15 minutes, I was set up beside one of the sheds a little ways off from the main house. The falcon watched me approach but was more interested in scanning the field to the east. I kept my lens trained on the roof for a few more minutes until the bird launched.
It flew over the field and out of my view. I trudged back – it always seems farther and colder when returning from an encounter than it was getting there. My hands were happy to get out of the wind and I was happy to have some nice images of this beautiful, hardy bird.
Christopher Martin Photography 
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Thank you Alexander. I hope you’re enjoying a great weekend.
February 23, 2019 at 10:11 am
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Nice capture. That is a beautiful old house.
February 20, 2019 at 1:30 pm
What a great post. Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing.
February 20, 2019 at 12:45 pm
Excellent photos and beautiful bird!
February 20, 2019 at 10:18 am
The bird is beautifully captured, and the house is evocative. Put them together, and the set of photos really shines. I keep thinking about those temperatures, though. They’re hard enough on a person, but are there any special precautions that need to be taken as far as protecting the camera goes?
February 20, 2019 at 7:11 am