Thursday, October 09, 2008

Spotted on the Way home

As I was leaving Derby this afternoon, actually I was sitting in traffic on the ring road, I spotted a Peregrine flying overhead. Well it cheered me up so I thought I would share it with you.

9 comments:

fiwa said...

I am a fellow bird watcher you know, so I think that is really neat. I just bought a new blank journal for recording bird sightings - and I keep pulling it out to admire the bird drawings on the cover.

Foilwoman said...

I always wonder why birds of prey are so beautiful to watch. Really, we should react to them like I react to spiders (with a big "ugh"), but every time I see a hawk or eagle or osprey on the wing I'm cheered. Even when I saw the osprey with a fish wriggling in its talons (I try not to anthropomorphize non-human animalia, but I'm pretty sure the fish was thinking, in fish speak "Oh, shit!"), all I could think of was what a beautiful bird it was.

Malcolm Cinnamond said...

Birds of prey are definitely the Premiership of the bird world. We have a short-eared owl hanging around about half-a-mile from the farm. It's always a treat to see it.

The Birdwatcher said...

Fiwa - I love having a new notebook. I always find it had to make the first note though.

Foilwoman - They are superb animals. Peregrines are just perfect flying / killing machines. I guess we would have a pretty dim view of ourselves if we went to an abbatoir.

malc - There are a pair of SEO's in the part of the Goyt that I spend most time in. They are incredible hunters, so silent.

Richard said...

I have to admit I'm crap at identifying birds although I did see a goldcrest in my garden the other week. I couldn't believe how tiny it was. When I finally identified it I was even more surprised as there are no stands of conifers nearby as far as I know. Not seen it since.

There's a section of the M40 as it dips north out of the Chilterns that usually has loads of red kites overhead. It's a fascinating sight. I counted about 40 last time I drove along it in April

KAZ said...

Perhaps Peregrine was going home to his perch on one of the tall buildings in Manchester.
When it comes to birds I prefer the goldcrest for size.

Stef the engineer said...

Year before last we misplaced a bird feeder, and found we had installed a sparrowhawk feeder instead...
Very spectacular, but not necessarily what you want to see over breakfast.

Kim Ayres said...

I'm well impressed with your speed sketching! You must have lightning reflexes.

Up here in Galloway it's all Red Kites and Buzzards making us slow down the car and gawp

The Birdwatcher said...

Richard - the red kites on the M40 are a great site. Apparently they are moving into the Peak District.

Kaz - A pair of Peregrines nested in Derby Cathederal apparently.

Stef - We get the same problem with sparrowhawks. Especially if we get a cold spell.

Kim - A talent I have kept hidden. Very well hidden. I have noticed a steady increase in the number of buzzards in the Peak District over the past five years, inspite of the attitude of the game keepers.