We received a second report on Sunday morning of a rodent on the peregrine's prey list. We've managed to edit and save a short video sequence, but technical problems mean we've not yet been able to get it on a DVD to analyse in detail. From this heavily cropped and enhanced portion of a photo taken at the time, it does have rather the look of a vole about it. But it will more than likely prove to be a young rat - they are certainly quite easy to find nearby, though we don't tend to think of peregrines as landing on the ground to take such prey. They obviously do. We hope to bring you a video clip or some stills in the next day or two.Meanwhile, this account is based on John Salloway's observations as well as the video sequence itself. At 11:04 am on Sunday 3rd June the male lands just off-camera. He passes the rodent to the female, then leaves straight away. She held the mouse(?) for a while then took it to the
chicks and ends up in a "tug-of-war" with it and one of the chicks before feeding it to them. Within an hour we saw the female circling at approx 200ft above the Cathedral Green calling. Then 30 seconds later the male seemed to come out of the sky from nowhere and gave a full bird to the female. (see photo below) He glided down and had a well deserved rest on the gargoyle. She flew east with the prey and didn't return until 20 minutes later.
3 comments:
No doubt, opinion will vary about what this mammal is. Let's hope the video sequence gives further clues about its identity.
The peregrine 'bible' (Derek Ratcliffe's book referred to on June 1st) indicates that quite a wide range of mammals and other non-bird species has been recorded as occasional prey. While young rabbits are the most frequent, the list of mammals includes short tailed field voles, water voles, shrews, young hares, bats and even a hedgehog! In addition, frogs and fish have been taken. One peregrine even took a liking for chickens - presumably free range ones.....can't quite see a peregrine patronising Tesco's!
Clearly, peregrines will eat whatever they can catch if the opportunity arises or if they are unable to catch their preferred food - which is certainly (flying) birds. Cases of scavenging have even been reported in winter.
Ed Drewitt, the expert on the diet of urban peregrines in the UK, tells us that the only mammals recorded recently are rabbits, rats and squirrels and that their frequency is extremely low.
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!
SUCH A PLEASURE AND AN HONOUR TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE PICTURES AND EVEN WATCH IT HAPPEN FOR REAL ON THE CATHEDRAL GREEN, I WILL DEFINATELY BE VISITING DERBY CATHEDRAL THIS WEEK IF NOT TODAY
yes .. a great project!, could,nt believe my eyes when i looked through the telescope on the green the other day, well done everyone involved!!
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