Can godwits harry a peregrine? (1 Viewer)

[phlhs]

Saw the strangest thing at Burton Mere yesterday - what looked like a large flock of black-tailed godwits harrying a peregrine. Rather than fleeing it, they seemed to keep turning to return to surround it - and eventually it flew off at top speed, apparently frustrated. I know small birds will harry bigger ones - but I've never seen this behaviour before in a wader flock. Anyone seen anything similar?

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Saw the strangest thing at Burton Mere yesterday - what looked like a large flock of black-tailed godwits harrying a peregrine. Rather than fleeing it, they seemed to keep turning to return to surround it - and eventually it flew off at top speed, apparently frustrated. I know small birds will harry bigger ones - but I've never seen this behaviour before in a wader flock. Anyone seen anything similar?

I think you must have been there at the same time as me. The juv Peregrine was looking at the Avocet chicks. Waders in flocks will harry raptors in much the same way as a flock of Swallows will mob a Hobby.

CB