Birding Moments#1

A camping trip to Pembrokeshire with friends in late-June presented me with possibly my first genuine birding ‘moment’. What do I mean by that? Well I guess it was the first time I became truly, uncontrollably gripped by a bird sighting. Visible signs that this was the case: frantically pointing at the sky and approaching strangers whilst doing so, hopping about and the occasional celebratory air punch. Y’know, a ‘moment’.

So what brought about this sudden fit of excitement?  

It was during a breather from an energetic bout of frisbee on a secluded beach that my attention was drawn to the loud, rasping call of a passing bird. Blinking upwards I didn’t need binoculars to see that the bird responsible was a Peregrine falcon. Although this was my first encounter with a Peregrine it was unmistakable-a mottled greyish underside and the distinctive dark facial ‘moustache’ providing the clues. It helped that it flew so close, maybe as little as 10 metres overhead. For a second I stared directly at it and in that time, as it curiously rolled an eye in my direction, I felt like it did the same.

It soon became apparent that this Peregrine was not alone; eventually three other birds appeared calling and wheeling in the sky over the rocky cliffs and beach. I was able to identify that this was a family group consisting of both parents and two (I suspect) recently-fledged young. Now I’m not saying it was a moment in the same way that watching Arsenal stick four past Spurs is, but watching these birds was a rush nonetheless.

For me, this encounter became all the more pertinent upon hearing a news story this summer which detailed the foiled attempts of one individual to smuggle 14 Peregrine eggs, stolen from nests in South Wales, into Dubai. In this instance the perpetrator was caught and the majority of the eggs were successfully incubated to produce healthy chicks. But it serves as an important reminder of the indefensible persecution that Peregrines and many other bird species still face. An RSPB report published recently (‘Birdcrime 2009’) points out that, although Peregrine numbers have recovered from around 360 pairs in the 1960s to 1400 in 2002, there are still annual reports of cruelty and exploitation through various means. These include egg collecting, trapping and wilful destruction of nest sites. One can only hope that these events don’t go unnoticed and that Wildlife Crime continues to be taken seriously and not as a soft option for budget cuts.

What a privilege it was to see these birds looking healthy and active in their perfect habitat. I think I’ll remember this moment for some time to come.



Treath Llfyn, Pembrokeshire, Wales- Peregrine country!



Peregrine (Falco peregrinus)
Note distinctive 'moustache' and powerful yellow feet with sharp claws- perfect for catching smaller birds in flight



Another arrives for its moment of fame! With their streaked brown underparts I would guess that these are the two juveniles seen from the beach earlier. They must have been aware of the assembled throng of walkers just metres from their ledge, but they remained still for several minutes, allowing us a rare opportunity to appreciate their beauty at close quarters.