Factory Peregrines

  

I like to think that in 20 years of monitoring, studying and being involved with Peregrines, there are not too many surprises left. This doesn’t come from modesty thinking I know it all, I don’t and you never stop learning from them, they constantly remind me however just how remarkable and resilient a species they are in the urban environment.

I was contacted just after lock down regarding a new pair that had not only taken up residence in a very large Factory, young was present as well. I was sent photos showing this and when I was able to visit the site with the kind permission of the owners, I found a peregrine family residing in a massive shed.

Since then I have visited the site a number of times and it is quite incredible just how long they spend inside the shed, they are thoroughly acclimatised to life inside it seems, at times in very low light.

The Falcon in particular, watching her in a 4 hour period recently, showed that from overnight roost and from this, then a preening session, following on she hunted inside for the many Feral Pigeons dotted around in the rafters. During this stint she freely moved around internally with machinery working close nearby, lots of noise, visual activity even dust but she didn’t miss a stroke. The fact of the matter is that she did not come out during this visit, the prey inside obviously sustains her and she no doubt does this regularly.

I know I am biased but the tenacity/adaptability of the species never seems to amaze me, if you consider that Peregrines are power/speed and open sky hunters, not really suited to close quarters calling for agility in a dimly lit shed, the adjustability comes forth. Although it’s a large shed more suited to the agility of a Merlin, not that you would get one in here, it shows just how they adapt, this was evident by watching her hunt and prey remains on the sides and fresh ones at that.

No doubt she does come out, I have seen her and some of the prey could be taken outside and then cached inside but pursuing them inside is obviously productive, or she simply wouldn’t waste the energy knowing she had no chance and just exit.

Of the 2 juveniles, a male and a female, are now only occasional visitors, it’s likely that they will be leaving soon or may have already done so. Having watched them on a number of occasions tail chasing each other outside, they also spent quite a bit of time in the shed after fledging.

                                                            Adult Falcon roosting in the rafters

                                                                 Falcon hunting inside

                                        Falcon can just about be seen with a pigeon below her

                                                                     Roost position

                                                                     Juvenile female

                                                                      Juvenile female

                                                                        Juvenile male

                                                                 Both juveniles together

                                                Both juveniles at roost can just about be seen

                                                         Adult Tiercel, a little more wary

                                                                          The stare

The adult Tiercel is a little bit more aloof, which is normal after breeding and does spend more time outside, for instance the Falcon and juveniles have always roosted inside beit good or bad weather, the Tiercel however has always roosted outside. 

However he does come inside but stays close to the entrance end.

It makes you think just how did they discover it, it is relatively low in peregrines terms, I would suspect they were sitting outside and hunting the Feral Pigeons, followed them inside in pursuit and then acclimatised and decided they could nest in the shed.

As I say quite remarkable, I daresay it may have happened elsewhere but it’s the first time I have come across it.

Abberton Reservoir

 

Saturday August 29th



After setting out at 4.30am and heading for Parliament to check on the Peregrines, I got as far as the Ship and Shovel and re routed due to crap weather, namely rain, cloud and high wind. Not ideal weather conditions to see and watch peregrines and get some photos, so a spur of the moment decision was arrived at and I decided on Abberton, having seen the recent bird news there.

This is a place that I used to spend a lot of time at in my younger days so eventually arrived after an hour or so’s drive in semi darkness on Layer De La Haye causeway .

Could see the Egret roost straight away, quite obviously it contained 5 Great White Egrets which were dwarfing the Little Egrets, these numbered 27, suspect there could have been more as some were already leaving as I watched them.

After a while the sky feeled up with Martins and Swallows, all feeding up in readiness for the long journey, as the morning wore on I suspect there were probably around 400 on both causeways.

I have to say that despite the overcast grey conditions, strong wind and occasional rain I had a really enjoyable morning and caught up with some good birds, as I have said before, there all good but nice to see ones that you don’t that often. I covered both Causeways, Layer De La Haye being the pick of the 2. 

As follows

Great White – 5
Little Egret – 27
Marsh Harrier – 3
Hobby – 2
Common Sandpiper – 1
Mandarin – 1
Common Buzzard – 1
Yellow Wagtail – 12
Goldeneye – 6
Common Tern – 25
Black Tailed Godwit – 1
Pied Wagtail – numerous

Sadly someone had also mown down 6 Mallards on Layer De La Haye causeway, possibly accidental but these days you never know. Its a fast road but you would expect someone would be able to see half a dozen Ducks waddling along in the road,even in the dark.

Shoeburyness

 

August 12th



We decided on a visit early a.m, in this case 6.15a.m, mainly to avoid the heat but also to catch the high tide, wasn’t expecting too much, but as ever nice to stretch the legs and have a stroll.

Early morning also gave us the chance to avoid the crowds, when we left at 8.45a.m; quite a few people were starting to arrive.

Mediterranean Gull was expected but I was hoping for some juveniles, having seen some on a previous visit a short while back. They are quite smart as Gulls go, if you read this blog, you know Gulls don’t really float my boat, Juv Med’s though are nice.

These days, I haven’t got the patience to sift through hundreds of Gulls, but hats off to anyone who does.

I have to say it was a really good walk that produced no less than 4 Juvenile Med’s, around 12 other Med’s of varying ages, 3 calling Yellow Wagtail flyovers, 28 Ringed Plovers, 19 Sanderling and 9 Turnstone.

                                                                  Robyn and Chris 

Amongst the Black Head’s were a few Common Gulls as well sitting out the tide, being early morning I was also hoping for a Wheatear or 2 on the beach having seen them before here at this time of year. None seen and negative on any fishing/roosting Common Terns, another species I was hoping to see close up.

However, a thoroughly enjoyable 2 and a half hours and I know my Granddaughter Robyn absolutely loved it, her first visit this year to the beach.

Beckton latest

 

July/August



Plenty of activity on the site and good to confirm a minimum of 3 Sparrowhawk juveniles, as per normal very loud giving their positions away.

I didn’t locate the nest, the jungle foliage trying to access it was comparable with the Amazon, too much for my little legs and I gave up after 10 metres, age catching up,10 years ago I would have ploughed through.

The Kestrels are ever present as are the Common Buzzards, although only seeing one of the Buzzards, might tell a story but getting late for breeding, would have expected to have seen juveniles by now. The Buzzards have been here a good few years now, highly adaptable in carrion feeding I have watched what looks like the male feeding in a skip full of waste so obviously a very versatile species. America’s equivalent, the Red Tailed Hawk has become very urban so it maybe that Buzzards could be heading down the same road. If someone had told me 10 years ago that a pair of Common Buzzards would take up residence in the Sewage Works I would have thought not a chance.

                                                                      Highly versatile

Beckton does hold a good number of birds and that obviously reflects in the Raptors present, as the urban sprawl comes ever further east from London and construction goes on all around it, sites like Beckton become very important for wildlife. 

Lots of other birds on show as well, Little Egrets numbers are building and Common Sandpiper numbers peaked at 12, caught up with Sandwich Tern as Common Tern numbers reached around 60 feeding mid river.

                                                                    Common Sandpipers

                                                                          Wasp Spider 

                                                                            Grey Seal

                                                               Southern Migrant Hawker

In looking for birds, I was also lucky enough to see both species of Seal on the Thames recently, Grey and Harbour Seal, the former being quite confiding, it’s a bit of a first seeing both at the same time. 

I also caught up with Southern Migrant Hawker, a first for the site and a Dragon that seems to be populating the South of England.