Bath breeding season update

It was thought that the peregrines at Bath had starting incubating a week earlier than usual, however this was hard to confirm as the female was sitting very tight. After what we thought was 40 days of incubation, the eggs had failed to hatch. Needless to say we were disappointed as we have been hoping for a full house of chicks as they had back in their first breeding attempt back in 2007 of 4 fledglings.

However it turned out we had got our laying date incorrect and one chick was seen on 2nd May. By the 8th we had four chicks! This was a very welcome surprise and we now have our fingers crossed that all four survive. The adult male 'AA' will have his work cut out to feed four hungry mouths this summer.

As with last year, the BBC are planning to film the ringing of the chicks towards the end of the month.

Thanks to Colin for his continued effort in monitoring the peregrines at Bath.

Colour-ringed peregrine at Blagdon Lake

We've just found out that one of our colour-ringed peregrines was spotted and photographed with another peregrine at Blagdon Lake, Bath and North-east Somset on Sunday 11th April. Will bring some further details once we've checked which individual it was. For now here's a link to the Blagdon birds website, http://www.blagdonlakebirds.com/ showing a photo of the bird.

Following just after, a sattelite-tracked osprey was also found to be at Blagdon, www.roydennis.org

Mediterranean Gull as Peregrine prey

This Mediterranean Gull was found near the Severn Estuary where Peregrines use nearby industrial buildings.

The corpse showed evidence that can be attributed to a Peregrine kill - no doubt the dead bird then got blown or dropped on to the ground and into the bushes where it was found. Definitely an unusual prey species in the UK but probably more common in parts of souther England and mainland Europe where Med Gulls are found in greater numbers. On the Severn Estuary Med Gulls are found just when passing though on migration. This was an adult in summer plumage.

Peregrine breeding season 2010

Well, it's that time of the year and across the UK peregrines are busily nesting. Many are now incubating eggs while others are still courting and getting ready to lay.

Over the course of the next month Adrian and I will be busy getting ready for the next season of colour ringing chicks from mid-May in the Bristol and Somerset region. Finger's crossed that it is a good breeding season for the Peregrine this year and we get to colour ring many chicks.

Proof of peregrines hunting at night

The evidence at last - 100% proof to support Ed's work on on the diet of peregrines, in particular that they hunt birds such as woodcock at night:




Friends Nick Brown and Nick Moyes of the Derby Cathedral Peregrine Project have captured this amazing footage of a peregrine bringing back a live woodcock back to the cathedral at night. More more details available at their blog:
http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.com/