Brixham June Airshow

 

I have finally got round to addressing this, it’s been very busy over the last few months with various projects, so getting the time to put pen to paper and put something down has been rare.

Peregrine stuff always seems to dominate, this year Shaun, Paul and myself started a fairly new initiative with the DNA swabbing and adult feather retrieving, this is to help combat wildlife crime. Along with Pellet retrieval for plastic analysis in the food chain, it has kept us busy, more on this to come later.

However, getting a bit off track – Brixham, this is one of Christines favourite places and as part of her 70th Birthday, I had organized a 4 day stay down there.

Jamming in on the Torbay Airshow as well, absolutely made it for us both, it’s not that often that you get the Red Arrows flying past your bedroom window, not to mention a Typhoon, Spitfire and Lancaster. To this day and since a kid, the noise of a Spitfire Merlin V12 engine, still gives me goose bumps down my neck.

We had a fantastic time and again stayed at Sampford House B&B, fantastic hosts and it gave a fantastic view of the Harbour, on top of this shops were close for Chris and birding was not far away nearby. More on this in the next post.

We watched the Airshow from various locations over a couple of days, from the harbour itself and then closer walking towards it along the coast.

Good enough views, not near as good as the many Boats and Yachts that had moored up out in the bay in open water, but still very good. Many other people had the same idea as we were joined by around 50 people.

South Essex Wildlife Hospital

 

Hopefully they can catch the scumbag.

Cooling Marshes

 

July



I was fortunate enough to squeeze in a couple of visits in July, if I had more spare time, it would be a couple of visits a week, the place is magical.

On both visits, like others, I am now seeing lots of Cattle Egrets, they are absolutely everywhere, the numbers leaving roost at dawn and gracing the Marsh were easily 40+, if anything even higher.

Hard to imagine just a few years back this was a rare bird, now colonising much of the South which is fantastic.

Corn Buntings are starting to flock, and at least 9 of them together on the track down, hopefully it shouldn’t be too long before the Wheatears arrive.

A bit early for any wintering Raptors, but ever-present Marsh Harriers were seen quartering the fields and a couple of Common Buzzards were spotted sitting out on the Marsh posts.

On the 2nd visit I had a look round for some Dragons, caught up with the usual but also saw Southern Migrant Hawker, and what I think is Scarce Emerald Damselfly although would welcome any input.

 

Battersea Power Station

 

July



Unfortunate news on the Peregrines, sad to say that the male Peregrine has gone I'm afraid, after not seeing him in May, June and now July, I thought I could just be missing him. However, having now checked all the footage thoroughly, over the last few months, the last time he showed on camera was April 30th at 19.15p.m.

He is regular at entering the nestbox and displaying to the female, this is normal behaviour for him, even late in breeding, for him not to do this as per normal and deter from normal regular behaviour, means that he is simply not present.

The Falcon is taking her own prey on all my visits over the last couple of months, if the Tiercel was around, he would be there in a flash putting her under pressure for the scraps.

What could have happened?

The City can be a dangerous place for Peregrines, even experienced adults, so many pitfalls are present. Taken out/injured by another Peregrine after encroaching on another territory, entrapment, glass balconies for one, window strike on sunny days, nocturnal collision, netting - the list goes on.

It's also entirely possible that it could be 'natural,' although they pair for life, change will obviously happen at some time.

In terms of age, the male arrived as an adult in September 2019, unringed, this meant that he was a minimum of 7 years old.

Ironically, I always thought that the ringed female at 14/15 years of age, would have been long replaced by now over the last couple of years.

On my visit, she took prey early a.m, a Feral Pigeon from the Refuse Centre, after feeding she then rested up with a bulging crop on the exterior ledge.

                                                       Always watching - feeding ledge

                                                              Goldfinch on the feeders

                                                         September 2019 - new Tiercel

                                                                       Stuffed

Having checked the camera thoroughly for the Tiercel, it also came to light just how much she rests up in the nest box, afternoon naps are regular as is overnight roosting. No doubt the nap is possibly age related, being an older bird, I know how she feels now being in my senior years!

Elsewhere, the usual species were recorded, not so many as usual, 5 Swifts overhead, already heading for Africa it seems.



No song or any sign of any of the Black Redstarts.