Venus Pool - Peregrine

 One bird that always gets the pulse racing is Peregrine Falcon and a juvenile has dropped in recently when I failed to get images! Today I was ready and whilst it was never close gave really good views.

I left the wingbeats in order as they came out of the camera...

Always looking menacing!

It circled once then departed. You haven't got much time with this one!!

Venus Pool - Peregrine!

I had a quick session at VP mid afternoon hoping for something unusual on the ice-ridden pool? The usual selection was all I got, interestingly however they all pitched into the water just as Dave Chapman spotted the reason - "Peregrine". Given the encounter lasted seconds, we were lucky (or just ready)  both of us got some images :-)

There it was... 

Going...

Going (and thanks for the upperwing shot!

About to be gone!

It's a 2CY male bird and probably the same one which was hanging around in Nov / Dec

Venus Pool - Peregrine and Hobby

A bit of action today from two of the most accomplished raptors that visit Venus Pool. Firstly an adult Hobby.  Always over trees across the pool, catching dragonflies..

Soon to be joined by a juvenile male Peregrine (probably a male), living up to his reputation as a speed merchant and pretty acrobatic it was too!

I had to settle for some white cloud pics before it dived and chased a very lucky Lapwing over the pool which became separated from the main group! Spectacular moments which happened at such speed I couldn't lock onto the Peregrine...

At one stage it came in from behind the Memorial hide skimming the roof! Exhilarating stuff!

Venus Pool - Peregrine mayhem!

During one of my talks on Shropshire Peregrines recently, I commented, "A few moments spent watching a hunting Peregrine will likely be the highlight of your day"? Well today that rang so true! A Saturday morning and no-one else present on the reserve, just 4 Little Egrets and 3 Green Sands of note! The Lapwings announced the imminent arrival (then left sharpish)... and then the anticipated Peregrine moment to savour, as a juvenile male bombed in scattering the few birds in all directions! I'll let the images tell the story...

Skimming the water like a Hobby chasing Dragonflies but this Peregrine was after larger prey!

And it looked like curtains for this Black-headed Gull until it took to the water!

Wheeling round at the end of the pool...

And then flying up to the North end...

Yet another try to force a duck to leave the safety of the water?

Diving helps!

One last circuit of the pool, like a low flying jet...

And then realising there was nothing in view to catch!

Up up and away....

Yep, just about the most exciting 90 seconds spent at VP this year, and as for making the day - no contest!!