2 Peregrine present early afternoon. One with prey on the plucking post

Also 60+ Redwing and Goldrest

As I visited Ye Olde Pastie Shoppe this morning, a Peregrine was enjoying a meal on the stone drain
that sticks out on the north face of the Parish Church.

Peregrine on the back of the church this morning. It briefly stopped plucking at it's prey as the bells sounded at 10am.

2 Peregrines on the front of the church at 11am.

Late morning wander around the grounds waiting for my straight out of the oven pastie to cool down.

With the Peregrines now away at the town hall I did not expect any raptors, but I managed a male Sparrowhawk, which flew across the car park and landed in a tree right above me for a couple of minutes. It then flew off away from the church.

Other birds made up of Woodpigeons, Wrens, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, 2 Goldcrests in a conifer, pair of Long-tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Magpies, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches (15+), & a pair of Bullfinches.

Peregrine on the back of the church at mid-day

Not much around the grounds but as I was leaving I found a Goldcrest with 3 Long-tailed Tits by the car park entrance

11.55am today. Peregrine seen on kill. Using the projecting stone spout on the
north side of the tower as the plucking post.

Peregrine sheltering from the wind on the back of the church at 9.30am

Large Peregrine Falcon perched near top of tower,
Clock side.
It's been there since at least 1.20....now 3pm

9.45am to 10.10am

Pair of Peregrines on the front of the church. My first sighting of them this year. A council workman said they have visited on a few occasions through the winter, as he pointed to all the bird muck around the main entrance to the church !
3 Feral Pigeons
9 Woodpigeons
4 Wrens
6 Dunnocks
2 Robins
7 Blackbirds
10+ Blue Tits
12 Magpies
2-5 Greenfinches
6-10 Goldfinches
1 Bullfinch heard

Siskins heard on my way there as I crossed St George's Street

Peregrine on the front of the church at 10.30am
2 Blackcaps
1 Goldcrest
Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits,
Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds
Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches
Woodpigeons & Magpies

Earlier a Cormorant had flown over as I was walking into town

Peregrine on the front of the church at 10.40am.

Usual other birds around + a pair of Long-tailed Tits.

Pasty time at 10.45am.

A Peregrine on the back of the church
Usual others around the churchyard included Chaffinches, Greenfinches, & Goldfinches.

At pasty time today(12.20)....

Peregrine Falcon perched right at the end of the horizontal stone spout that sticks out from the north face
of the Parish Church tower.
By the time I'd finished the pasties it had moved off.

One Peregrine perched above the main door at 10.55am was joined not long after by it's partner, at which point it got quite vocal as they called to each other.

Other birds including a couple of Coal Tits and 16 Goldfinches.

A Peregrine on the front of the church at 11.10am & as I walked across the car park a couple of minutes later a second bird flew across and over the church.

Mid-day mooch around the churchyard.

1 Peregrine
5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over, just above the church
1 Feral Pigeon
4 Woodpigeons
2 Robins
6 Blackbirds
2 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
1 Magpie
3 Carrion Crows
1 Greenfinch
2 Goldfinches

One Peregrine on the front of the church at lunchtime.

Two Peregrines on the back of the church this morning sheltered from the wind.

A Redwing with numerous Blackbirds in the churchyard.

Peregrine on the front of the church & one on the car park side at lunchtime

One Peregrine on the front of the church this morning

Two Peregrines on the church at 10am. As on my last visit one at the front of the church, and the other on the back of the church.

Two Peregrines at 10.30am. One on the front of the church and one on the back. Usual other birds included juvenile Goldfinches.

Bell ringing most of the time between 10am (as I was heading there) & 10.30am (whilst I was there), so I was not surprised to miss out on Peregrine. Checked the rest anyway.

1 Feral Pigeon
4 Woodpigeons
1 Pied Wagtail
4 Dunnocks
1 Robin
3 Blackbirds
2 Blue Tits
1 Great Tit
1 Magpie
1 Jackdaw
2 Chaffinches
3 Goldfinches

Lots of bumblebees (various species), and a Large White butterfly.

Peregrine on the front of the church at 10.20am, and the Feral Pigeons still nesting just around the corner.
1 Woodpigeon
1 Black-headed Gull flew through
3 Lesser Black-backed flying around very low
3 Robins
4 Blackbirds
At least two Goldcrests
1 Magpie
3 Chaffinches
2 Goldfinches

11.35am to 11.55am.

One Peregrine on the front of the church.
I watched a Feral Pigeon flying in carrying sticks. I managed to suss out it was building a nest in the top of a drain pipe on the side of the church. Might be a nest to us but probably a take away for the Peregrines.
4 Woodpigeons
2 Swifts
2 Wrens
1 Dunnock
3 Robins
4 Blackbirds
2 Goldcrests
2 Long-tailed Tits
4 Blue Tits
1 Great Tit
1 Magpie
3 Chaffinches
2 Greenfinches
5 Goldfinches

No Peregrines this morning around 11.30am, but I did get a first for here with a Blackcap singing from the top of a tree.

Peregrine on the back of the church at 10.30am.
9 Woodpigeons
1 Robin
4 Blackbirds
2 Goldcrests
2 Blue Tits
2 Magpies
2 Carrion Crows
3 Chaffinches
4 Greenfinches
6 Goldfinches

10.40am to 10.55am. Had to wait 15 minutes before eating my pastie ! As you will know Keith they are hot enough anyway from Ye Olde Pastie Shoppe, but this one was straight from the oven.

No Peregrines but stunning close views of a Goldcrest near the car entrance. Two more were behind the church.
1 Black-headed Gull
7 Woodpigeons
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Wren
2 Dunnocks
3 Robins
5 Blackbirds
4 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
2 Carrion Crows
1 Chaffinch
4 Greenfinches
6 Goldfinches

Peregine on the stone spout, projecting from the north face of the Tower. 1.0 to 1.15pm, as I ate my Pasties.

Prior to my appointment with my nearby dentist at 1.45 today, I looked for the Peregrine.
No sign of it on the clock side but as I turned down Churchbank, I was met by a steady fall of small white feathers,
drifting down on the breeze, from the stone projection high on the north face used as a plucking ledge.
The Peregrine was still there at 2.30





-- Edited by keith mills on Tuesday 19th of March 2013 06:12:53 PM

Arrived at 10.30am to see no Peregrines but about 5 minutes later a noisy individual flew onto usual perch on the front of the church.

Single Peregrine perched high up above the clock at 12.10pm. today.
Then flew off, down Churchgate at around 12.20

Single Peregrine flew down Churchgate 2:20pm and returned back to perch above the clock on the Parish Church. Raven showing well and calling on top of the town hall

-- Edited by John Lyon on Thursday 7th of March 2013 05:42:41 PM

Pair of vocal Peregrines on the front of the church at 10.40am
1 Feral Pigeon
6 Woodpigeons
1 Wren
4 Dunnocks
5 Robins
5 Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
2 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
3 Magpies
1 Chaffinch
10+ Goldfinches
2 Greenfinches
1 Bullfinch

One Peregrine on the front of the church at 11am. A pair of Coal Tits the best of the rest.

Pair of Peregrines on the front of the church at lunchtime
9 Woodpigeons
1 Dunnock
2 Robins
4 Blackbirds
3 Song Thrushes
2 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
1 Magpie
2 Chaffinches
15+ Goldfinches

Pair of Peregrines on the front of the church at 13.40. One flew off noisily a short time later.

This was only about 10 minutes after I saw two flying around the top of the Town Hall, with a Raven. I am wondering if there are more than two about.

10.35am as I walked down Churchgate a Peregrine was flying around the church tower. I did not see it land so the bird on the back of the church was probably it's partner.
Not many other birds about.

10.15am this morning the pair of Peregrines were very amorous and locked together. At least they had the decency to go on to the back of the church away from view from most people, myself excluded !
Half an hour later one landed on the Town Hall as I was passing, and after a walk around Queen's Park I went back to find one on the front of the church.

Other birds seen in Spring like conditions :-
2 Feral Pigeons on the church (probably felt safe while the Pergerines were otherwise engaged)
4 Woodpigeons
4 Dunnocks, including a group of three having a really good battle
7 Robins spread all over the lawns and bushes
4 Blackbirds
1 Song Thrush
Flock of Long-tailed Tits
1 Coal Tit
4 Blue Tits
4 Great Tits
2 Magpies
1 Carrion Crow
1 Chaffinch
2 Goldfinches

A Pied Wagtail was nearby at Nelson Square, outside Wetherspoons. I felt it was my duty to check none had sneaked inside and got trapped.

One Peregrine on the front of the church at 10.20am.
1 Pied Wagtail
A very mobile flock of 15 Redwings
Nearby, a Raven, carrying a large chunk of bread, flew over Wilkinsons towards the town centre.

No Peregrines when I arrived at 11.15am but after about five minutes the pair flew in noisely from the town centre landing on the front of the church.

Other birds :-
3 Woodpigeons
3 Dunnocks
3 Robins
4 Blackbirds
3 Blue Tits
1 Great Tit
2 Magpies
2 Carrion Crows
1 Goldfinch

10am to 10.15am

1 Peregrine on the car park side of the church
2 Feral Pigeons
6 Woodpigeons
1 Wren
1 Dunnock
2 Robins
1 Blackbird
Flock of Long-tailed Tits
1 Coal Tit
3 Blue Tits
1 Treecreeper, my first one here
1 Magpie
1 Carrion Crow
1 Goldfinch

Just when it seemed there was nothing about, at 12.20pm a Peregrine flew in from St Peter's Way landing in a tree behind The Grammar School building.
At the same time about 130 Lapwings circled around overhead.
The Peregrine flew off over St Peter's Way again after about 5 minutes.

11.15am. Less rain & more birds for a change. No Peregrines though.

6 Woodpigeons
5 Blackbirds
1 Dunnock
3 Robins
At least 12 Long-tailed Tits
7 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
2 Coal Tits
3 Magpies
2 Carrion Crows
2 Chaffinches
1 Greenfinch
10+ Goldfinches

Happy New Year to everybody

10.45am.

1 Peregrine
2 Woodpigeons
1 Collared Dove
1 Robin
4 Blackbirds
7 Magpies

10.25am to 10.45am.

Arrived to see a Peregrine on the front of the church. It suddenly became very noisy, which made me look for another one, which was on the car park side. This second one disappeared as I was talking to someone who turned out to be one of Keith's Mills' friends. I am sure we bump into each other one day Keith. As I left the second bird had returned to the side of the church.

Other birds seen :-
1 Black-headed Gull
13 Woodpigeons
1 Pied Wagtail
1 Dunnock
3 Robins
7 Blackbirds
2 Mistle Thrushes
A few Long-tailed Tits heard as I arrived
6 Blue Tits
4 Great Tits
1 Magpie
1 Chaffinch
1 Greenfinch
10+ Goldfinches