While my good lady wife was at Mass, I spent the hour at the other side of Cheltenham, looking to see whether there was any Peregrine action. Recent reports have suggested that 3 of the juveiles have left home, with just one of the females staying around and still begging the parents for food and generally making a noise. I found the male sitting on his usual pinnacle, the female sitting on the tracery of the window on the Nort side of the tower and one juvenile, beginning to call from one of the other pinnacles. Suddenly, from almost nowhwere another juvenile apopeared and made for the other, which immediately took flight and then the two seemed to play tag for a while, constantly screeching.
The newcomer - note the missing, displace primaries.
The first contact - note that the other juvenile is missing some tail feathers, so it becomes easy to tell them apart in the duel.
Eventually they both settled on the tower and began calling. Mum was still in her usual place looking totally unruffled by all the fuss.
By the time I had walked back to the car to go and seek the good lady, mum had obviously had enough of the nagging.
Amazing aerial action shots.
ReplyDeleteThanks. They'll soon be gone I guess but back again next year hopefully.
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