Parliament Pair

 Sunday July 1st

So much for predictions, I had high hopes they would defect from the nest site and come back to Parliament early but it looks as if my prediction was a little premature. I visited again at dawn on Sunday morning in the hope that the adults may well have encouraged them over; they are certainly trying too on the Tiercels part.
I arrived at 4.40am hoping that I would initially hear them, and then hopefully come out from roost. Unfortunately it was not to be although the Tiercel did emerge from his roost on Victoria Tower around 4.50am.
I expected him to go over to the nest site building straight away but instead he started to hunt, by now I had decided he was on his own. At just after 5.00a.m he pursued and caught a feral pigeon, I thought that's it, he’s off to feed one of the 4 juveniles, I was a little surprised as he partially plucked it and then stashed it on Victoria Tower. Further to this he then went up to Middle Tower and began to hunt again, unusual behaviour for a father with 4 hungry kids to feed, normal behaviour would be to take it straight back to the Falcon or one of the juveniles if he is not going to feed himself.

Stashing feral pigeon at 5.04a.m



Hunting again from Middle Tower

Middle Tower

During the course of the morning, I stayed for about 3 hours he took another pigeon, had 6 more failed hunts and narrowly missed taking a Mistle Thrush, the Thrush was very lucky as it went for the ground and just about made it I am glad to say. The other pigeon was again stashed and he then repeated the earlier action of going up, this time to Big Ben to hunt again.
It could be that the hunting is better from Parliament and he is making the most of it by building up a ‘larder’ for the juveniles as dawn is always the best time to hunt.
His behaviour was a little odd with no prey taken over to the nest site juveniles while I was there, one reason could be that he is doing it to get the 4 juveniles over to Parliament, it is basically ' if you want to feed, you have to come over '

Big Ben - Tiercel just about viewable

High Flyers

I dare say that the juveniles with their incredible eyesight may well be able to see him; the Falcon will be on 'guard duty ' watching over them, it will only take one to fly to Parliament and the rest will likely follow. The Falcon will also be hungry so it is odds on that she will go as well, again they may well follow her, hunger is a great motivator.
I will stick my neck out and say they will be over by the 8th; as usual they will likely prove me wrong again.

Searching for Gold!