The other day John Salloway managed to get photos of the female peregrine driving off a passing common buzzard....and here's the evidence!
The buzzard clearly had to turn on its back to fend of the attacking peregrine. John commented:
"The Falcon did seem to have the upper hand. The buzzard was nearly always upside down in the pictures I managed to get. It would be a good fight if the birds had locked talons but thankfully the buzzard got the message without any harm to either bird. What highlighted us to the event was that the Falcon flew from the cathedral screeching in a straight line of attack. By the time she got to the Buzzard they were a good 300m away, making it difficult to hear any noise.The Buzzard was no match for the agile falcon. These birds are truly masters of the skies. Fantastic to see."
Buzzards do pass across Derby quite frequently but only when they are low and close to the tower does the falcon feel the need to drive them off.
Buzzards are a species that has re-colonised Derbyshire in the last 10-14 years having been 
previously 'excluded' by gamekeeping and shooting interests and also by the decline in rabbits from myxomatosis.
previously 'excluded' by gamekeeping and shooting interests and also by the decline in rabbits from myxomatosis.Unlike peregrines, buzzards take a wide range of food items including worms, small mammals, rabbits and in summer, the young of many birds (including crows, magpies and other corvids).
Of course they are much slower birds in flight (with large rounded wings for soaring and gliding). They are certainly not designed to hunt on the wing but do so exclusively on the ground or by taking young birds from nests.
Other birds of prey that sometimes fly past the cathedral include sparrowhawks, kestrels and once only, a hobby and a honey buzzard.
Nick B (DWT)
Nick B (DWT)
22 comments:
WOW! Great pictures, I know that peregrins are not the bigest bird of prey but they must be the bravest, I asume if the buzzard got hold of the peregrin it would be game over, or are peregrins top dog even in this situation? I think you should change the title to "Dog fight over Derby" I bet they made a hell of a noise between them, would have loved to see and hear it.
Gaz
Terry asked about clickable links. Here's a page that explains how, but it has the drawback that, at least in firefox, it comes up in a new tab in the comments window. The comments window I see is about 4x6 inches, and can't be expanded or made whole page, so the new web page doesn't have much room to be seen.
I think it is possible for the blog owner to make the comments window expandable, I'm not sure.
how to make a clickable link
p.s. All those deleted by owner comments were me trying to get this to work.
Ah, on the other hand, in firefox if you right click on the link and select open link in new window that's much better.
Now back to our regularly scheduled peregrine news.
Thanks Karen Anne :)
Click here for amusing Rochester Juvie site from last year
Watch as a slideshow for best effect. A bit tounge-in-cheek but great photography, nonetheless.
Hope this works.
Ha, ha, ha, terry. That makes it worth figuring out how to do that.
Amazing buzzard photos, John.
Seeing how the amusing link to the peregines in the bird bath doesn't display well in a pop-up, we've changed the comments format to open in a new page. Hope you like it. (It'll probably revert back at some point in the future, though)
Dinner in the form of white birds has arrived in the nest box and at the pudding cam. What might those birds be? Thanks.
Wow look what's happening!
Two prey items just shortly after eachother. One on top and a juvie is handling that one. I thought it was alive when it was delivered.
And a second one was brought to the nestbox!
Amazing to see how this youngster is handling the plucking ritual.
Froona
Gaz, the Falcon did seem to have the upper hand. The buzzard was nearly always upside down in the pictures I managed to get. It would be a good fight if the birds had locked talons but thankfully the buzzard got the message without any harm to either bird. What highlighted us to the event was the Falcon flew from the cathedral screeching in a straight line of attack. By the time she got to the Buzzard they were a good 300m away making it difficult to hear any noise.
The Buzzard was no match for the agile falcon. These birds are truly masters of the skies. Fantastic to see.
See my blog Derby Preregrines for more pictures.
Jon Salloway
Someone visited the Watch Point on Sunday wanting to help out. They subsequently rang the Trust's answer machine and left a number but we were unable to either hear the caller's name or decipher the number...
So if that was you - please call again.
Nick B (DWT)
Since I started visiting this website a few months ago I have been seeing birds of pray everywhere, common buzzards on my way to work, sparrowhawks in my garden, peregrins near my kids riding school, is it me being more observant or are birds of prey on the increase in a big way?
Gaz
Aren,t buzzards part of the Hawk family and Hawks are round wing as opposed to Falcons with pointed wings?.Good if people are more aware of whats around (wildlife that is)
Dennis,local lad
Hi guys:
The falcon family are pointed winged and include the kestrel, hobby, merlin and peregrine.
The hawks are round winged and include the sparrowhawk and the goshawk.
The common buzzard is in a different group, as are the kites, harriers and eagles, vultures etc....
Nick B (DWT)
John, I was so busy messing with links the other day that I forgot the photos can be clicked on to enlarge them. That makes your buzzard/peregrine ones even more amazing. That must have been something to see.
out of curiosity could someone tell me what the large building in the background of the left cam is?
Can't think where it is.
Just seen three of the birds, they look great!!
Sorry, I meant the building on the right cam, in the background!!
Some lovely close-ups on the pud-cam. They seem quite relaxed (no wonder with Mum and Dad feeding them and the people of Derby scooping them up when they drop). When do they start having to find out what the word Work means, and feeding themselves? xxx Penny
Some lovely close-ups on the pud-cam. They seem quite relaxed (no wonder with Mum and Dad feeding them and the people of Derby scooping them up when they drop). When do they start having to find out what the word Work means, and feeding themselves? xxx Penny
Am I the only person not getting live cam at the moment? Haven't had it since the weekend.
I beleive the large building on the right is "Rivermead House" big block of flats, could be wrong though.
I am also not getting any live feed, non at all this week but still enjoying the other cams
Gaz
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