What a fantastic show at Pagham harbour at 7.30 this morning! Three juvenile Peregrines initially making a din of a noise sitting on the saltmarsh; then soon they began their display with several flypasts and superb aerial displays. For several minutes they were flying up and down chasing each other, stooping and diving. Then the serious stuff started and their first taget was a line of a dozen or so Cormorants. The birds ducked several times but it wasn't long before the Peregrines decided they were somewhat large for starters so the next targets were Oystercatchers. They picked on one poor bird and chased it unmercifully, all three homing in on it time and again. The Oystercatcher would plunge legs first into the water as the Peregrines were attempting a snatch causing a huge splash but as soon as it had recovered, they were homing in on it again! Eventually they gave up on this individual and started on another...I never saw the end result as they tore off into the centre of the harbour and out of vision.
An amazing spectacle but I did feel a little sorry for the Oystercatcher who had a very narrow escape and whose nerves must have been shattered!
Moral: Always carry a camera!
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