scary-canary
Canaries forever... and i'm not always scary, some
Put apples on the grass for blackbird, and some nuts for the blue tits.
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Fort Dunlop (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ste-gull
- Start date
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
Thats definately cheating - wonder how many funny looks I'll get from the offices too haha.
I might give it a go though if it gets fruitless; pardon the terrible pun.
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
30/11/2012 birding
On Friday I had a Cormorant which is a first for a little while, and on leaving FD there was a larger ever increasing roost of Pied Wagtails gathering in the trees between the carpark and the FD building. I counted around 50 but they kept coming so who knows how many may actually gather to roost here - I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.
The Fieldfare prey item was also still present which seemed a little odd - does anyone know if Peregrines stash their prey at all or perhaps this Peregrine likes a bit of sport...
On Friday I had a Cormorant which is a first for a little while, and on leaving FD there was a larger ever increasing roost of Pied Wagtails gathering in the trees between the carpark and the FD building. I counted around 50 but they kept coming so who knows how many may actually gather to roost here - I'll be keeping my eyes peeled.
The Fieldfare prey item was also still present which seemed a little odd - does anyone know if Peregrines stash their prey at all or perhaps this Peregrine likes a bit of sport...
Upland Birder
Birding On The Edge
Interesting photo of the dead bird and this is a fascinating thread. It will be interesting to see how the species count will go over the next year and across the seasons.
Dean:t:
Dean:t:
Allen S. Moore
Well-known member
I have looked in my copy of the Second Edition of Derek Ratcliffe's book "The Peregrine Falcon," which was published in 1993, and there is no mention at all of any grebes in the index. Table 8 of the book shows Prey taken by Peregrines in different districts of Great Britain, and that table does not include any grebes, either. The most recent information in that table is from 1979. Thus, peregrine predation of any species of grebe looks to be a very unusual occurrence. Thanks for mentioning it to us.
rollingthunder
Well-known member
That's a most unusual item for a Peregrine, i would have thought, i mean how many Little Grebes do you see flying about in order to get caught? It has a nice pale gape mark, I wonder if it was a first-Winter bird i suppose we will never know.
It should make things most interesting to see what this bird brings in if it can catch LG's.
ATB and keep up the good work....
Laurie -
It should make things most interesting to see what this bird brings in if it can catch LG's.
ATB and keep up the good work....
Laurie -
Hi Laurie/Allen
Just to shed some light on Little Grebe, the Brussels Cathedral peregrines have Little Grebe high up on their prey-list. The relevant website is ...
www.falconsforeveryone.be
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Andy R.
Peregrine prey
Another good website I look at from time to time is about the Derby Cathedral peregrines, where specialists have been studying their prey for a few years now. Over 50 species of birds are mentioned, including Little Grebe, as well a rat !
www.derbyperegrines.blogspot
Cheers
Andy R.
Another good website I look at from time to time is about the Derby Cathedral peregrines, where specialists have been studying their prey for a few years now. Over 50 species of birds are mentioned, including Little Grebe, as well a rat !
www.derbyperegrines.blogspot
Cheers
Andy R.
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
I was just going to post about the Derby Peregrines but Andy beat me to it. I know of at least 1 Little Grebe that was caught by these Peregrines but there are probably more.
Also of interest it suggests that Little Grebes will almost certainly be caught at night as this is generally when they fly/migrate. This is copied from the Derby Peregrines Blog.
'We certainly know that our adults hunt by night, using the floodlighting in Derby to spot birds flying over the city. Of the above list, little grebes and the quail were almost certainly caught in this way, both being strictly night fliers/migrators'.
This would perhaps suggest that the Fort Dunlop birds are also active at night.
Also of interest it suggests that Little Grebes will almost certainly be caught at night as this is generally when they fly/migrate. This is copied from the Derby Peregrines Blog.
'We certainly know that our adults hunt by night, using the floodlighting in Derby to spot birds flying over the city. Of the above list, little grebes and the quail were almost certainly caught in this way, both being strictly night fliers/migrators'.
This would perhaps suggest that the Fort Dunlop birds are also active at night.
DaveN
Derwent Valley Birder
I've got a paper by Edward Drewitt and Nick Dixon which is an interesting read. It focuses on Peregrines in the south west in Bristol, Bath and Exeter. It's a PDF file but is worth downloading.
There's a graph about a third of the way down showing prey items. Little Grebe features and in fact if you was to look at December Little Grebe prey was recorded 4 times.
There is also a bit on nocturnal hunting in Peregrines and both Little and Black-necked Grebes are both mentioned as prey items.
There's a graph about a third of the way down showing prey items. Little Grebe features and in fact if you was to look at December Little Grebe prey was recorded 4 times.
There is also a bit on nocturnal hunting in Peregrines and both Little and Black-necked Grebes are both mentioned as prey items.
Bananafishbones
Incoherently Rambling .....
Peregrines have adapted their behaviour to suit their new urban existance and of course they have less disturbance in these new surroundings at night, Grebes, Woodcocks and the likes are night fliers so now become the obvious prey, the pigeons will be hunkered up on a ledge somewhere and will be less accessible at night
rollingthunder
Well-known member
It's nice to know that something is taking advantage of the increased light pollution!
After my last post i got to thinking that the only time that they could be catching them would be during night-time movement. These city-dwelling Peregrines with their 'cams' are proving a most interesting source of information.
Laurie:t:
After my last post i got to thinking that the only time that they could be catching them would be during night-time movement. These city-dwelling Peregrines with their 'cams' are proving a most interesting source of information.
Laurie:t:
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
Thanks
Got to say thanks to everyones info thats streaming in at the moment, it's brilliant stuff!
I've not been on the forum for a few days and it made a jolly good read catching up on all that.
I haven't seen any additional prey items recently - pressumable the feeding sites I've found are some of the only visible ones and there must be a lot going on in addition to what I'm seeing.
Looking forward to spring and hopefully they'll be plenty of action happening feeding wise. Praying for a passing Black Redstart in spring too...
Got to say thanks to everyones info thats streaming in at the moment, it's brilliant stuff!
I've not been on the forum for a few days and it made a jolly good read catching up on all that.
I haven't seen any additional prey items recently - pressumable the feeding sites I've found are some of the only visible ones and there must be a lot going on in addition to what I'm seeing.
Looking forward to spring and hopefully they'll be plenty of action happening feeding wise. Praying for a passing Black Redstart in spring too...
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
Been away a while...
Sorry folks for the lack of updates.
Today at around 10am I had a new new for my FD list. A small skein of 3 Greylags flying west.
Updated list:
Fort Dunlop List:(17)
Canada Goose
Greylag
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
Little Grebe (1)
Sorry folks for the lack of updates.
Today at around 10am I had a new new for my FD list. A small skein of 3 Greylags flying west.
Updated list:
Fort Dunlop List:(17)
Canada Goose
Greylag
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
Little Grebe (1)
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
Another new addition today
After having a new species for my FD list in the Greylags yesterday today after work around 4pm I had a lovely commoner to add. 2 separate Song Thrushes singing their hearts out over looked by 2 Peregrines sitting tightly on the the pylons over the M6. Additionally there were a group of 9 Cormorants as well as the previously seen corvids and gulls.
CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SPRING TO BRING ME SOME MORE GOODIES...
Fort Dunlop List:(18)
Canada Goose
Greylag
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Little Grebe (1)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
After having a new species for my FD list in the Greylags yesterday today after work around 4pm I had a lovely commoner to add. 2 separate Song Thrushes singing their hearts out over looked by 2 Peregrines sitting tightly on the the pylons over the M6. Additionally there were a group of 9 Cormorants as well as the previously seen corvids and gulls.
CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SPRING TO BRING ME SOME MORE GOODIES...
Fort Dunlop List:(18)
Canada Goose
Greylag
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Little Grebe (1)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
Another new'un
Today from the office window I watched a Grey Heron hop clumsily out of the conifers adjacent to the rail line next to the fort and fly off under the M6 to, pressumably, the River Tame. Also saw an unknown Chat sp. yesterday, however it was fleating and a poor view, was most likely a robin but I'm hoping for my first spring in the fort area to give me a nice black redstart if I can be so lucky. Also had a flock of House Sparrows in the fort area in the bushes along the landrover jaguar plant.
Fort Dunlop List:(20)
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Little Grebe (1)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
Today from the office window I watched a Grey Heron hop clumsily out of the conifers adjacent to the rail line next to the fort and fly off under the M6 to, pressumably, the River Tame. Also saw an unknown Chat sp. yesterday, however it was fleating and a poor view, was most likely a robin but I'm hoping for my first spring in the fort area to give me a nice black redstart if I can be so lucky. Also had a flock of House Sparrows in the fort area in the bushes along the landrover jaguar plant.
Fort Dunlop List:(20)
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Common Buzzard
Peregrine
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Starling
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Peregrine Prey Items:(4)
Little Grebe (1)
Feral Pigeon (2)
Redwing (1)
Fieldfare (2)
Last edited:
Ste-gull
Risegeterd Uesr
Peregrine
Peregrine has been very active today.
Resting between the Pylons over the M6 and the top of the Fort Dunlop building, it seems to be spending a lot of time diving over and over again around the M6 or just beyond. Something has clearly caught it's eye. It never stoops but just swoops down and up again in arcs.
Not had chance to have a look for prey items lately - the roof area has been locked off during the winter on most days. Hopefully once this cold snap passes I'll be able to get back to some more regular and interesting updates...and hopefully some vis mig starting in a month or so.
Peregrine has been very active today.
Resting between the Pylons over the M6 and the top of the Fort Dunlop building, it seems to be spending a lot of time diving over and over again around the M6 or just beyond. Something has clearly caught it's eye. It never stoops but just swoops down and up again in arcs.
Not had chance to have a look for prey items lately - the roof area has been locked off during the winter on most days. Hopefully once this cold snap passes I'll be able to get back to some more regular and interesting updates...and hopefully some vis mig starting in a month or so.
