Peregrines and Ravens 2009 (1 Viewer)

[mali]

Thanks Jo,
I am grateful for all the information on Peregrines that has been forwarded by various people on this thread. However, at the moment, I feel the less said, the better. I also know of Peregrines that have Ravens nesting close by. In the three years I have been watching these birds, I have yet to witness any interaction between the two species. I will be watching with more interest than normal this year, and if I find anything worth reporting, I will definately let you know.

 

[Guinness537]

This is a very interesting post. Excuse my ignorance and the fact that this may be off topic but are Peregrines also living in urban areas of the UK?

I know they have at least one breeding pair in downtown Toronto.

Thanks

 

[joannec]

This is a very interesting post. Excuse my ignorance and the fact that this may be off topic but are Peregrines also living in urban areas of the UK?

I know they have at least one breeding pair in downtown Toronto.

Thanks

They certainly are Guinness. They have some very well know and monitored urban sites; among them Chichester Cathedral, a block of flats in Brighton, Derby Cathedral, one of the UCL buildings in London and I think I've even heard on the Tate Modern. The RSPB even run some Aren't Birds Brilliant events at Chichester and Derby Cathedrals where the public are encouraged to take an interest in these urban peregrines.

Welcome to BF!

 

[Patrick_L]

Hello Joanne

Did you go to this year's SOS conference in Haywards Heath? I understand that one of the talks was specifically about the status and spread of the Peregrine in Sussex - according to my Dad, who was there, very interesting and informative.

Sorry if you did go - you probably knew all this!

 

[joannec]

Yes I did and very good it was too!!

 

[deborah4]

This is a very interesting post. Excuse my ignorance and the fact that this may be off topic but are Peregrines also living in urban areas of the UK?

I know they have at least one breeding pair in downtown Toronto.

Thanks

More on the Sussex Peregrines and their occupation of man made sites on this thread

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=109217&highlight=peregrine

 

[lockbreeze926]

This is a very interesting post. Excuse my ignorance and the fact that this may be off topic but are Peregrines also living in urban areas of the UK?

I know they have at least one breeding pair in downtown Toronto.

Thanks

It was noted elsewhere on Bird Forum that there are currently 13 pairs in London, as well as those noted by Joanne above.

 

[Guinness537]

Thanks for the information all. I'll look into those threads.

 

[joannec]

25 February

A dusk time visit this evening was interesting. The female ravens head is just visible over the top of the nest. Female peregrine on 'her' ledge and the male perched higher up. Seems pretty quiet when the male raven flies in, swoops over his mate. Suddenly the female peregrine is in the air in a dive, low over the raven nest...looks like she's just reminding them that she is still here and has no intention of leaving. For extra good measure she cases off a few jackdaws as well. She circles around and has another go at the ravens. Mrs Raven leaves her nest briefly to join her mate on a short flight. They're both back in only a minute, the female back on her eggs. The male keeps her company for a short while before flying off to some scrub on a less steep part of the cliffs. It's nearly dark now and I presume this is where he roosts.

28 February

Pretty quiet this morning. Incubation for the ravens continues with the female peregrine on her ledge. No sign of either of the males.

 

[Alan227]

A nice diary thread Joanne!

Al

 

[joannec]

Thanks Al

Real excitement today. All is quiet when we arrive this afternoon, the female raven tucked well down in her nest, jackdaws chattering heard just above the traffic noise. The male peregrine is perched on a high ledge....pretty quiet. The female flies in and lands on a lower ledge and the male takes off; it's as though they are taking turns at patrolling. Mr Raven flies high over the cliff and Mrs R perks her head up and over the edge of the nest, she sees him.

I've got a new digiscoping camera, a Canon A590, and today I'm having a good play with it....not really expecting much, well nothing at all in terms of quality shots. Anyway it's focused on the female peregrine and I take some disappointing shots when her mate comes in and unbelievably mates with her! Even manage to grab a picture in the 5 seconds the whole encounter lasts! That's something you don't see everyday. He's gone in an instant.

Here's a series of three pictures taken within about 30 seconds or less.

 

[joannec]

Just a little more about the residents of these cliffs: there are also dozens of pairs of jackdaws who nest here. I don't know how many but a lot. Some even nest within a few feet of the peregrines ledge and no doubt some end up as dinner.

Two pictures of them from today:

 

[halftwo]

5 seconds the whole encounter lasts! He's gone in an instant.

Typical male, eh!

Great stuff Joanne - nice pics too.

 

[joannec]

Typical male, eh!

.

My thinking too H......Her expression in picture 3 says a lot!

 

[halftwo]

Mainly: "Is that it?!"

 

[Alan227]

...Anyway it's focused on the female peregrine and I take some disappointing shots when her mate comes in and unbelievably mates with her!...That's something you don't see everyday.

Absolutely Joanne!

Great that you were able to capture the moment. New camera working well too by the looks...

Al

 

[joannec]

Yes Al, camera working well. It's only the photographer that is lacking.:C

Life goes on for the cliff dwellers. This morning sees Mrs Raven as usual tucked well down into her nest. If she started incubating on or about 18 Feb and it takes about three weeks for the eggs to hatch...hummmm, I reckon it could be any day now.:t: Fingers crossed that all is going well. Her mate is constantly patrolling the skies this morning. He's very evident today. He comes briefly to the nest, she lifts herself up but only to stretch her legs. He may have brought her a morsel of food, not too sure. He still displays to her with his aerobatics, doing the upsidedown flying, 'aren't I a beautiful boy' thing that ravens do. Pretty cool to watch!

The female peregrine is on her ledge. She may have started laying and she spends the whole morning on or very near her ledge which is so close to the ravens nest. They ignore each other. Her mate is higher up the cliffs on his favourite perch, with his puffed out chest looking like the proud father to be.

Picture below of the female and also another picture showing how close the jackdaws come to the peregrines ledge. They don't seem to be at all afraid of a perched peregrine. It never ceases to amaze me.

 

[joannec]

Another great morning at the cliffs....I'm really finding it very difficult to keep away; I could watch them all day.:t: Much the same as yesterday with the female raven still on her nest. She leaves briefly to fly with her mate who encourages her with displays, dropped legs and sideways aerobatics, to leave the nest and fly to another ridge where he feeds her!:kiss: Really touching but she doesn't stay long and returns to the nest. I'm sure the eggs must be very close to hatching. He flies with the jackdaws, seems to enjoy it and later with the gulls...just cruising the morning away.

Mrs Peregrine spends most of the morning perched on either her ledge or a favourite bush and Mr P higher up....there is no interaction between them in the two hours I am watching.

 

[Screech]

Hi Joanne,

What a great thread everyone. Many Peregrines thrive in the New York City, USA area on tall buildings and I remember hearing some of the bridges have multiple nests.

The Hudson River which flows into the Atlantic has cliffs but so far no natural sites have been found.

 

[madamcoolpix]

Loads of thanks for sharing all this interesting and fascinating information on the Peregrines, Joanne!!! o

There are a couple of them nesting around my area but in absolutely unaccesible points, so I had no chances to follow their breeding season. There are Ravens around too and now I'm wondering if they are sharing the same places for breeding... most likely, I think, after reading these posts...

They certainly are Guinness. They have some very well know and monitored urban sites; among them Chichester Cathedral, a block of flats in Brighton, Derby Cathedral, one of the UCL buildings in London and I think I've even heard on the Tate Modern. The RSPB even run some Aren't Birds Brilliant events at Chichester and Derby Cathedrals where the public are encouraged to take an interest in these urban peregrines.

And don't forget the monitored Peregrines at Manchester, followed and photographed splendidly by our Adrian Dancy last year. Many of those glorious pics were posted in BF gallery! It was a brilliant event, those Peregrines becomed "part of our family"!!! o

Best luck with your peregrines, Joanne, hope they succeed and bring to this world new chicks for everybody's pleasure!!! :bounce:

Cheers!