Parliament

August 18th


The usual early start saw me heading into the City at 4.45am, with the games lanes now open it was back too normality in London, I for one, and like a lot of others was very impressed with the overall Olympic package, I think we did ourselves proud.

As dawn came it promised to be a good morning and so it proved, the only bird I could find as the light became clearer was the Tiercel roosting on Middle Tower, of the Falcon and juvenile(s) there was no sign. At 6.25a.m the Tiercel started to e-chup, as he did so 2 juveniles came into view, the female and one of the males. As they appeared so did the Falcon calling rather stressfully and then began climbing up to the juvenile female, who rather strangely made a very hurried retreat back along the river. I know that they have likely all dispersed and probably come back now and then but it was a very agitated reaction to the juvenile female, especially as she ignored the juvenile male who landed next to the Tiercel who was still very agaitated.Shortly after this, after seeing off the female juvenile the adult Falcon again appeared and took up position on Big Ben.

Falcon showing the 'vertical' landing technique on Big Ben

I strongly suspect that this was juvenile female was not hers and was from another fledged site in London going by the pairs reaction, presently all settled down. Another scenario could be that it was there juvenile and they were ‘weaning’ her out, possibly the juvenile male had just not got the message yet, like last year they may well stop feeding him.
For the next 10 minutes the juvenile repeatedly called for food and presently it got through to the Tiercel who flew north, I then settled down to watch the juvenile as the Falcon was set in stone and looked like doing nothing.

The usual position on Big Ben

During the remainder of the morning the juv made 3 rather clumsy attempts to catch prey, 2 attempts were made on Ring Necked Parakeets, 2 passing groups, they just split, went low and then out turned him before he gave up. The final attempt started with a passing Kestrel making a stoop at the perched juvenile, who then in true peregrine fashion, went after the little mouse hawk probably half in play and half in catch prey ‘mode’. At one point I did see him make a proper grab for the Kestrel but as with the Parakeets the Kestrel easily evaded him, in truth I would I was glad that he didn’t get the Kestrel being a long term favourite.

Juvenile after Kestrel, possibly starts off as ' play' but then may become more deadly

So it now remains how long he will stay, in 2011 a juvenile male stayed well into October coming and going, the adults were not allowing him any prey, it may well be that this male is not so confident as yet either. It’s like school, there are fast and slow learners, it might just take him a little longer judging by earlier hunting activities.

Juvenile

In the end both adult Falcon and the juvenile went simultaneously north around 9.00am flying strongly, no doubt the Tiercel had very likely taken prey further afield, first come first serve so to speak, time for me to go.