Click on photos to enlarge, please do not copy photos without permission

Monday 9 March 2015

Peregrine and Kingfisher



I was lucky enough over the weekend to witness a Tiercel Peregrine targeting a Kingfisher, nature in the raw as they say as the Kingfisher tried every move to get away.

The sequence of photos shown below are not great and against the light, but shows the tenacity of the Tiercel and the desperate measures the Kingfisher employed to evade the Peregrine.



The chase starts as the Tiercel locks on to the Kingfisher

The Kingfisher comes in view after diving into the Thames

The Kingfisher dives into the river several times whilst the Tiercel tries for it over and over.

Pursued to the mudflats the Kingfisher can just be seen on the waterline

Desperate measures as the Kingfisher ploughs into the mud

Kingfisher is up on the mud as the Tiercel goes for it

Tiercel overshoots

Kingfisher is about to bolt again

Tiercel banks round after it again

Kingfisher if off like a bullet low with Tiercel catching

Overshoots again

Last frame - closing on Kingfisher
Did he or she make it?

Glad to say that the little chap made it to the rocks and the Tiercel gave up, must admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Kingfishers.
What surprised me though was the tenacity and length of time of the chase, they usually give up after 2 or 3 misses, this reminded me of Merlin.











No comments:

Post a Comment