The Diving Falcon

Polly thought about the peregrine for two days. She wanted to feel the shape of its dive.

Polly tænkte på vandrefalken i to dage. Hun ønskede at mærke formen af dens dyk.

On the third morning, she went to El Capitan. A peregrine was on a high rock. It was eating something.

På den tredje morgen tog hun til El Capitan. En vandrefalk sad på en høj klippe. Den spiste noget.

She perched on a bush fifty metres away. She waited.

Hun satte sig på en busk halvtreds meter væk. Hun ventede.

The peregrine finished its meal. It looked at her. Then it stepped off the rock.

Vandrefalken blev færdig med sit måltid. Den kiggede på hende. Så trådte den ud fra klippen.

It did not flap. It folded its wings tight. It dropped fast. It pulled out, turned, and was gone.

Den baskede ikke. Den foldede sine vinger tæt ind. Den faldt hurtigt. Den rettede op, drejede og var væk.

A peregrine falcon can dive at 380 kilometres per hour. It is the fastest animal in the world. The bird has a special third eyelid. It also has small cones in its nose to slow the air.

En vandrefalk kan dykke med 380 kilometer i timen. Det er verdens hurtigste dyr. Fuglen har et specielt tredje øjenlåg. Den har også små kegler i næsen til at bremse luften.

Polly is not made for this dive. But she wanted to try.

Polly er ikke skabt til dette dyk. Men hun ville prøve.

She flew to the high rock. She folded her wings. She fell.

Hun fløj til den høje klippe. Hun foldede sine vinger. Hun faldt.

It was not a good dive. She wobbled. The wind caught her wing. She opened her wings and pulled out.

Det var ikke et godt dyk. Hun vaklede. Vinden greb hendes vinge. Hun åbnede sine vinger og rettede op.

She tried again from lower. Then again, lower still. By noon she had tried eight times. Each one was a little better.

Hun prøvede igen fra lavere. Så igen, endnu lavere. Ved middagstid havde hun prøvet otte gange. Hver gang blev det lidt bedre.