Peregrine from today

gramps

gramps

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The Peregrine made a sweeping hit on a Moorhen at the side of the lake, a distance from where I was.
After the kill and an initial feed it eventually flew off with its kill across the field toward the Severn Estuary.

Nikon D7500
Nikon 200-500 f5.6
Flight shots + TC-14iii
(Fairly hefty crops).


The Hit-Trail


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr

Taking a breather


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr

Feeding


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr

The Stare


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr

The Pondering


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr

The Retreat


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr


Peregrine Falcon by Roger, on Flickr
 
Cracking sequence Roger, well spotted. Well captured (y)
 
Excellent set Roger. I'll be up at Slimbridge early next week. Hope he comes again


Les :)
 
What fantastic images, by the way do they always eat the head first?
 
Fantastic set. (y)

The 200-500 1.4tc combo looks nice and sharp, slightly missed focus on the first but the other two are spot on.
 
DinkyDarwin said:
What fantastic images, by the way do they always eat the head first?
Click to expand...
A lot of Raptors do so I suspect the Peregrine is no exception @Cobra ??
Lez325 said:
I'm thinking of driving up on Monday morning. Weathers looking good [emoji16]
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Might be there Monday Les. :)
If It Moves... said:
Fantastic set. (y)

The 200-500 1.4tc combo looks nice and sharp, slightly missed focus on the first but the other two are spot on.
Click to expand...
I had just that moment fitted the TC when it took off, so the first is a panic aim! :LOL:
 
Rustydon said:
Cracking bird and well taken sequence, Roger :)

Russ
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Thanks Russ ... it seems that this bird may be one that was a juvenile visitor a few years ago and was noted for having a taste for Moorhen. The ones I have seen are more likely to take ducks and this Moorhen was alongside a group of Wigeon, which it igmored.
 
footman said:
Excellent set, really quite dramatic.
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Thanks Laurence, I've only seen it once before when a Peregrine took down a Wigeon and then a fight between the Peregrine and a couple of Buzzards ensued! :)
 
DinkyDarwin said:
by the way do they always eat the head first?
Click to expand...
gramps said:
lot of Raptors do so I suspect the Peregrine is no exception @Cobra ??
Click to expand...

I hope you aren't eating your breakfast :D ...

If you look at images 6,7,& 8 the head is clearly viable
Once the prey is downed, and they ( most raptors) have a decent hold, they then go straight for the neck and bite through to deliver the coup de grâce
Then depending on the type / size of prey, they will either break into the chest cavity for the heart and lungs or into the abdomen to eviscerate.
Sometimes the guts are eaten, sometimes pulled aside, they are after the liver and the soft meat in this area.
Obviously the tender bits are the prize and are eaten first.
Depending on the prey / predator size ratio, most of if not all of the prey will eventually be eaten.
 
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Cobra said:
I hope you aren't eating your breakfast :D ...

If you look at images 6,7,& 8 the head is clearly viable
Once the prey is downed, and they have a decent hold, they then go straight for the neck and bite through to deliver the coup de grâce
Then depending on the type / size of prey, they will either break into the chest cavity for the heart and lungs or into the abdomen to eviscerate.
Sometimes the guts are eaten, sometimes pulled aside, they are after the liver and the soft meat in this area.
Obviously the tender bits are the prize and are eaten first.
Depending on the prey / predator size ratio, most of if not all of the prey will eventually be eaten.
Click to expand...

Thanks Chris ... I remember going to the Barn Owl Centre a few years ago and Vince remarked on the birds liking for the head/brain of the dead chicks he was using. I guess the difference in size between a dead chick and a Moorhen/Duck allows the raptor to be more selective. :)
 
Cobra said:
I hope you aren't eating your breakfast :D ...

If you look at images 6,7,& 8 the head is clearly viable
Once the prey is downed, and they ( most raptors) have a decent hold, they then go straight for the neck and bite through to deliver the coup de grâce
Then depending on the type / size of prey, they will either break into the chest cavity for the heart and lungs or into the abdomen to eviscerate.
Sometimes the guts are eaten, sometimes pulled aside, they are after the liver and the soft meat in this area.
Obviously the tender bits are the prize and are eaten first.
Depending on the prey / predator size ratio, most of if not all of the prey will eventually be eaten.
Click to expand...
Sounds awfully like the way some teenagers in my family eat....
 
Cobra said:
I hope you aren't eating your breakfast :D ...

If you look at images 6,7,& 8 the head is clearly viable
Once the prey is downed, and they ( most raptors) have a decent hold, they then go straight for the neck and bite through to deliver the coup de grâce
Then depending on the type / size of prey, they will either break into the chest cavity for the heart and lungs or into the abdomen to eviscerate.
Sometimes the guts are eaten, sometimes pulled aside, they are after the liver and the soft meat in this area.
Obviously the tender bits are the prize and are eaten first.
Depending on the prey / predator size ratio, most of if not all of the prey will eventually be eaten.
Click to expand...
Sounds like they appreciate a warm meal.....
 
Good set of behavioural shots Roger (y)

The chat about them removing heads reminded me of a rather sad event that happened last year in a local disused quarry.

A pair of Peregrines had used the quarry as a nest site for a couple of years but a pair of Barn owls also took up resident, about 100yrs along the rock face.

It was noted it wasn't going to end well and it didn't. The Barn owls had 5 chicks, all 5 were found under the nest without heads but full bodies intact, like it was a territorial killing, the 2 adult BO just disappeared.

What makes it worse, the Peregrines failed too, so neither managed to raise a successful brood!! :banghead:
 
gramps said:
Thanks Chris ... I remember going to the Barn Owl Centre a few years ago and Vince remarked on the birds liking for the head/brain of the dead chicks he was using. I guess the difference in size between a dead chick and a Moorhen/Duck allows the raptor to be more selective. :)
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Absolutely Roger.
Day old chicks food for captive raptors are very much different from catch your own.
Anything peregrine size will usually rip a DoC in half and down it in two.
Its a bit like snakes feeding wise, if its going down in one the it will always go head first.
So there is no problem with the legs splaying out and getting stuck in the throat.
 
Cobra said:
Absolutely Roger.
Day old chicks food for captive raptors are very much different from catch your own.
Anything peregrine size will usually rip a DoC in half and down it in two.
Its a bit like snakes feeding wise, if its going down in one the it will always go head first.
So there is no problem with the legs splaying out and getting stuck in the throat.
Click to expand...

Is that how you eat KFC then Chris ??? :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
Sounds like they appreciate a warm meal.....
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Absolutely they do.
Its the final part of training, ( captive) when they make their first kill ( getting entered) you help them break in to the chest for the warm organs, and blood.
Once feasted "you" know you've cracked the training. (y)



How's breakfast going BTW? :D
 
Phil-D said:
Good set of behavioural shots Roger (y)

The chat about them removing heads reminded me of a rather sad event that happened last year in a local disused quarry.

A pair of Peregrines had used the quarry as a nest site for a couple of years but a pair of Barn owls also took up resident, about 100yrs along the rock face.

It was noted it wasn't going to end well and it didn't. The Barn owls had 5 chicks, all 5 were found under the nest without heads but full bodies intact, like it was a territorial killing, the 2 adult BO just disappeared.

What makes it worse, the Peregrines failed too, so neither managed to raise a successful brood!! :banghead:
Click to expand...
Sad outsome Phil :(
 
DinkyDarwin said:
Well no breakfast for me today then.
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Reminds me of my first ever fatal RTA, three women died at the scene ... went back to the station and they were serving liver, bacon, sausages, beans & tomatoes! :eek:
 
gramps said:
Reminds me of my first ever fatal RTA, three women died at the scene ... went back to the station and they were serving liver, bacon, sausages, beans & tomatoes! :eek:
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I know its not really funny, and I shouldn't laugh .....
But :LOL:
 
gramps said:
Reminds me of my first ever fatal RTA, three women died at the scene ... went back to the station and they were serving liver, bacon, sausages, beans & tomatoes! :eek:
Click to expand...
The first day we did our anatomy dissections at Kings we were stunned to see the technicians blithely eating their sandwiches while watching over us. End of the week we were all doing it! You just get used to stuff.....
 
super series well spotted
 
Well done Roger, another superb set(y)
 
footman said:
The first day we did our anatomy dissections at Kings we were stunned to see the technicians blithely eating their sandwiches while watching over us. End of the week we were all doing it! You just get used to stuff.....
Click to expand...
Local morticians used to keep the xmas turkey in the body freezer! :(
the black fox said:
super series well spotted
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Cheers, right place, right time again.
bulldog5988 said:
Well done Roger, another superb set(y)
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Thanks Keith :)
 
When I was about 10 saw a dog getting squashed by a lorry on way home for lunch.
Guts everywhere.
Got in an my mum had made stovies.
Still traumatised at that sight.
 
Fab sequence Roger, it doesn't look happy to see you in the stare, maybe it thought you were gonna nick his dinner.
 
jakeblu said:
Fab sequence Roger, it doesn't look happy to see you in the stare, maybe it thought you were gonna nick his dinner.
Click to expand...
Could be Steve, it's quite a stare isn't it. :)
 
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