Friday 5 August 2022

Dunlin avoiding Peregrine

 Am visiting on hol .On 3rd August approx 5pm was scrambling over rocks going from Tresaith beach to Penbryn beach at low tide 

Heard alarm call and saw Dunlin chased by Peregrine, heading out to sea. Dunlin dived downwards and thought was trying to evade by skimming waves. Instead seemed to dive straight into sea. Thwarted Peregrine circled over, very low to waves, hovering a bit in strong winds,  gave up and flew away. 

Have never seen such behaviour,  stood and watched sea for a while , thinking corpse might surface.  After what seemed like over a minute,  Dunlin surfaced. Got out bins and  surprised see was alive and coming towards shore. Couldn't imagine how it could get ashore given big waves surging over boulders so walked to where thought it might  land. It already had and as I neared it flew up over me to disappeared into scrub above cliff

Almost immediately Peregrine came back, shortly followed by second Peregrine.  The pair flew along cliff , then twisted and turned together, soaring and diving,  before both perched on ledge not far from where I guessed Dunlin was hiding out

Phil Coles