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Welcome to the St Helens Birds and Wildlife blog. We welcome your reports from across the borough regarding all forms of wildlife. Please click on the "Report a sighting" tab if you would like to contribute to this blog.

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Scarce or vulnerable species include but are not restricted to any species of wader, ducks other than mallard, all owls, any birds of prey, grey or yellow wagtails, grey heron, all grebes, Cetti’s warbler, water rail, willow tit, corn bunting etc. If in doubt, please ask.

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Taken at Promised Land Farm this afternoon. I couldn't believe it as two Peregrine falcons flew from an adjacent field and came together directly overhead. It looked like a passover(?) similar to what happens during the breeding season when the male passes its prey to the female in mid air but im not sure if it happens at this time of year? One of them then veered off but the other swooped down just yards over my head. For a split second the camera had focus but then lost it as I pressed the shutter and rattled of a few shots. It joined its mate in a tree further up in the adjacent field, then as I approached they both shot off in front of me. I panned the one at the back and this was the best of about 6 shots, albeit quite a large crop!
   They live up to their description of fastest land animal, like sh*t off the proverbial shovel!
 Can anyone give any info on the above description and is this bird male or female?
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3 comments :

  1. Andrew4 January 2015 at 18:42

    Just realised it/they were sparrow hawks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous5 January 2015 at 10:28

    Sparrowhawks indeed Andrew but a lovely moment nonetheless! Interesting to see courtship behaviour so early on (they can be laying in April though) but bird that partner for life regularly secure their bond with regular displays of "affection"

    Paul B

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andrew5 January 2015 at 14:58

    Thanks for the info Paul! For a moment I thought the one that swooped down was going to attack me it was so close .

    ReplyDelete

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