Peregrine Falcon in a Vineyard

Peregrine falcons were highly endangered in the 1960s because insecticides had made their eggshells fragile. Since the ban on DDT, populations have recovered and the species is no longer considered endangered. Fritz was fascinated by the elegant and incredibly fast-flying bird and painted it several times, here on a pole in a vineyard. The horizontal layering of vine leaves, wooded hillside, bands of cloud and finally bright blue sky provide an exciting environment for the majestic bird, but without competing with it.