Re: Beautiful Peregrines Tucking Into Their Gory Lunches!

My friend and I got back from Chichester last night, after spending a nice few days there. We always like to go to the Chichester Festival Theatre there but also like to have a few spare days to visit places as we love that area. This time we went to Pagham Harbour RSPB reserve (I'll sort out those pics later) as well as Selsey, a place we always like. We usually stay in Travelodge cos it's cheap and cheerful and convenient. We had a room on a different side of the hotel this time, which gave us a brilliant view over the town and cathedral and in particular a great view of these little darlings - Peregrines!!! I'd so been wanting to see some Peregrines but never expected to see them as much as the past few days! Each day, before setting off on our outings we looked out the window and there they were, just across the road! Sometimes we just saw the one, other times two and once, briefly three. All at different times tucking into their catches of the day. I don't know what they caught (I guess birds or mice, probably) but it looked pretty gory, unsurprisingly! These are the best of the pics I managed to take. Not that great, unfortunately, as I had to zoom in quite a bit (so they're a bit fuzzy) but I'm still pleased with what I managed to get and just to see them. What a thrill! :)

Wow Ella stunning photos i think it will be the local Pigeons they are eating.

Love the ones of it in the sunshine

What a piece of luck having a room with a view! I think I might have stayed there all day. LOL  I agree with Doggie, super photos, and the later ones in the sunshine are really great.

Excellent series of pictures, who would have thought Travelodge would have the best hide in Chichester. What was the room number for future reference - in case we should ever visit there it would be worth making sure we are on that side.

The first ten or so pictures appear to be of a juvenile - did you happen to notice whether one of the other birds gave it the food or whether it returned with its own catch?

Bob

Wow, I was going to ask for the room number as well. What an unexpected privilege.

Caroline in Jersey

Wow Ella, fantastic !!!

Thanks everyone. I wish I had a better zoom on my camera, so I could have had closer, clear photos of these stunning birds!

Yes, we were certainly lucky with our room this time! Such an unexpected treat! I know I'll certainly be requesting that room again, whenever I return to Chichester. It's room 223, by the way! Rooms 223 to 227 all seem to face in the direction of the cathedral. I presume 123 to 127 on the floor below would be the same, but the higher up the better, I say, as of course the Peregrines perch pretty high up on the cathedral tower! I don't think that side of the hotel has a 3rd floor, however, only the opposite side of the building. But I could be wrong. There are no further floors, it's not a tall hotel like some.

Bob, when I spotted the first Peregrine it was already eating so I don't know if it had caught it itself or if an adult brought it to him/her or not.  The one in the sun - well it sat there for a while, just admiring the view, then suddenly flew off - swooping quite low over the hotel - and returned a few seconds later with it's catch, so that Peregrine definitely caught it's prey itself! :)

Btw, I think some of Chichester's Pigeons have a death wish - some went and perched so close to the Peregrines at times, I'm amazed they didn't become lunch there and then! lol.

Hi Ella

Great pics of the Peregrines, I have always found parking a pain in Chichester so have not been able to see the Peregrines this year, I will have to remeber the travellodge for next year ;o)

Ella

Thanks for the pictures - what a great find the room was!

I don't know if you followed the story of the nest this year - here it is anyway.  

Hi Ella. Rather strangely Peregrines don't seem to regard birds sharing adjacent perches as potential meals. At Symonds Yat we've see our female Peregrine sitting quietly next to a Wood Pigeon and looking vaguely bored. We've even had Jackdaws sharing the same "entrance lobby" to our cliff nesting Peregrines' favourite recess.

It has been suggested that this neighbourly "détente" guarantees the Peregrines plenty of juvenile Jackdaws for their own youngsters to practice their hunting skills on.

JBNTS