Saturday 14 December 2019

Peregrine V Black headed Gull




I  was watching this female Peregrine hunting along south coast cliffs in the sunlight early yesterday morning when it dropped a wing and dived down across the flight path of an immature 1st winter Black -headed Gull that had seen the Peregrine coming and was just taking off.

                                                                                                                  


The Gull had misjudged the speed of the Peregrine which slammed into its back and immediately sinks in those incredible powerful talons.




The Peregrine then carried her heavy prey with increased strong wing beats back up the cliffs to a regularly used high level plucking ledge.


Once the prey was secure on the ledge the now exhausted Peregrine took a break to spread its wings and pant open mouthed to cool down before dispatching her prey,




The prey was then efficiently plucked and the Peregrine took her fill.


With such a big prey item the Peregrine could not consume it all so she then flew with the reduced weight to a favoured stash point under a large boulder where the bird was left hidden for another feed later in the day






Back on one of her favoured perch points it was proving to be a good day for this powerful predator as she now relaxes in the morning sun.  Not so for the luckless young Black -headed Gull but that's just nature taking its toll on Cornwall's  wild coast line.

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