Powerful Peregrine

And another fine carbon free tick.

Another Broom GPs 2 bagger

A bit of a bimble around the Broom area today threw up a Jack Snipe in the area of the G+M Pits and then a Caspian Gull at GLE having a wash and preen, before it flew off in the direction of Langford. I did get Steve to check my homework on this one and although my proper camera is away being looked at just now did get a few shots through the scope with the phone.

Not for the SFYL but I was also treated to the stunning sight of a Peregrine making a couple of failed attempts at taking Mallard off the water in the G+M Pits.

Tree Sparrows are back (I haven't seen them mentioned recently) on the hedge along the game strip at Upper Caldecote. I won't be adding these to my SFYL total, as I think that would be a bit cheeky.

Jim

Peregrine(s)

My two pics from last week were almost acceptable standard so thought I'd share one from this week that is more in keeping with the expectations. This Peregrine was in the middle of a field north of Barton Hill Road on Saturday lunchtime, second one for me this month as I had one fly past near Millbrook village last week heading towards Rookery South (and potentially the Stewartby chimney I guess).

Whin' and 'Grin

After quite a few short dips into suitable habitat over two weeks, a Whinchat finally came my way at Sandy Smith. They seem to have been hard this year and those found on the hills near Luton seem to be around field hedgerows rather than on the fences, slopes and dips themselves where I have found them previously and where I have been peeking in short spells before and after work. Also expected each year, a Peregrine on a pylon near Streatley was the first I have found this year, all other sightings relating to the Stewartby "chimney" birds. Other than Med Gull, I am now running out of targets so it's all down to the right place, the right time and watching the weather forecast for the run-in.

Mealy Redpoll and Peregrine

On my walk back to Potton after a productive visit to Roxton and Great Barford with Richard, (more below), I finally gained good views of a redpoll flock on the Old Bedford Road that have been giving me something of a runaround. I first saw this flock of up to 60 individuals in early January and on January 19th, thought I had a good contender for a Mealy, but could not 'tick all of the boxes.' I even remarked to Steve about the possibility! Today, the flock was settled and feeding/ preening/ resting in a silver birch. Overcast conditions didn't provide ideal viewing, but at least one bird (a first-winter/ female) showed all the diagnostic features of Mealy: overall paleness to underparts, crisp, white wingbars, greyish brown upperparts and head, contrasting nicely with the mantle, and when preening, a nice, obvious, whitish rump. Another bird could also have been a Mealy, but could not be 100%. c.45 Lessers were accompanying them, allowing excellent opportunity for comparison.

At Roxton, RIB and I enjoyed a fabulous flyby immature male (I think) Peregrine, which obligingly sat up on a pylon for R to obtain some video. Near Great Barford, six Egyptian Geese and 68 Mute Swans held our attention for a while.

A photograph of the Peregrine will follow...

That puts me on 99. What will be the landmark bird?

DOM