I have been entertained by the local raptors this past week or so, particularly the Peregrines. There have been dog fights with Buzzards and, on one occasion, a Kestrel. One Buzzard in particular on Saturday morning got a real pasting.
I first noticed it sitting on a rock at the end of Clodgy looking like it had just had a power shower. It was soaked and looking very sorry for itself. I was suddenly aware of movement to my left and I looked round to see the male Peregrine approaching very fast and low and looking extremely pissed off. He stooped straight at the Buzzard calling, ke ke ke ke ke. The Buzzard manage to get itself airborne and it was then I noticed just how wet it was. It was struggling to fly and looked like it was missing half it's feathers. It flew down to a low rock a little to the East but this wasn't far enough for the falcon and it stooped until the Buzzard flew again. It kept going East, towards Man head this time and eventually settled on the top of there. No sooner had it done so however than the gulls began to mob it and it had to fly back to a point somewhere about half way between the two.
I also witnessed some co-operative hunting by the falcons. On this occasion both birds flew past me and out in to the bay. When about quarter of a mile offshore the male bird towered very high whilst the female cut back in towards the land and flew low over some willow scrub sending a whole load of Wood pigeons in to the air. The male, having singled a bird out from the flock then stooped from great height but was unlucky on this occasion.
As there have been no more Wheatears through and little sign of any other migrants, other than the return of one pair of Stonechats and a few Linnets the only other avian entertainment was at sea. Fulmars are now back on their ledges and cruising the shoreline doing circuits and bumps and looking very dapper in their Biggles style flying goggles.
Last Thursday there was a good number of Gannets feeding close in and as the wind was offshore the sea was very calm. This enabled me to see the Gannets dives continue underwater and I was surprised at just how far they travelled through the water aspecially when diving from a shallow angle. The wind was quite strong and blew the plumes of water from their dives away like puffs of white smoke.
Other than this there have been a few lingering Redwing and Fieldfare, some small parties of Meadow pipits and a Starling doing a passable impression of a Golden Orioles flutey song.
Saturday afternoon finally brought some migrant activity with 9 Sandwich terns fishing just off the harbour.
I at last saw my first Primrose of the year on Saturday too. To think that last year they were flowering in mid January.
There was also a Red Campion testing the air and, on the stone walls, this tiny white flower with red leaves. I have no idea what it is but the flower looks a bit like Stonecrop.
I have added a drawing of Pheasants feeding at Burthallan farm.