According to old folklore if the Mistle Thrush is singing there is rain on the way. This morning there were two Mistle Thrush singing at full pelt on either side of the gorge near the peregrine site. Sure enough the heavens opened this afternoon and we had a deluge of rain.

The falcon was well aware the rain was on it’s way of course (as discussed in an earlier post). This may explain her being easily dissuaded off the nest by the tiercel this morning. It is possible she wanted to catch herself something substantial while the weather was dry.

The tiercel managed to brighten the afternoon, sitting on what I have started to call his rain perch not far above the eyrie. With the rain pouring down, he sat there sheltering for a few hours. This left those visitors who ventured up here today marvelling at the brightness of his cere, talons and feathers. All the preening seems to pay off, as he always looks in such great conditon!

Despite the rain other peregrines were on the wing today, as we had first another male (not seen well enough to age) and then a female in the gorge. The male was chased away fairly quickly by our tiercel, who then sat at the top of his look out spruce for a few minutes, before the rain persuaded him down. The intruding female was only seen briefly this afternoon, but from the reaction of our falcon it could well have been an adult. Like previously when we had an adult falcon, the falls of clyde female came off the eyrie to help the tiercel chase her away. As will all previous intrusions after a few minutes the chaos was over.

Like with most animals, despite watching our pair of peregrines for 2 months their individual behaviour can still surprise you. After the falcon returned from her time away from the eyrie, the tiercel was very reluctant to get off the nest. Usually he is away instantly, but this time the falcon almost had to sit on him to get the tiercel to move. This might show that his paternal instincts are just as strong as the falcons at this time of the breeding season. The difference being however, that due to her dominance she almost always gets her way!

Tom Wells – Peregrine Protection Officer