Over the weekend my brother was visiting, I wanted to show him something that he would not have the opportunity to see around his own home. The natural choice was nearby at Clarach where I hoped to show him the local Kestrels working the cliffs. With a very bracing wind coming in off the sea we had a brisk walk up the cliff path towards Wallog to a known vantage spot. We had to wait around ten minutes before a bird showed but as we sat on the cliff edge we were rewarded with a spectacular flying display at eye level and below; the stiff wind enhancing the flying skill. Feeling relieved we had seen what we had set out to see we were heading back when we got a ‘bonus’ coming in from the landside I spotted another raptor slowly making its way towards us. Instructing my brother we both lay quietly on our backs and a Peregrine slowly made its way over us probably as close as you can ever hope to get. The strong wind certainly brings out the best in the birds the much bigger bird displaying a different technique to the lighter Kestrel; as it flew towards us hanging motionless above I can’t imagine what it was thinking about the two clowns lying on their backs in the deep grass.
Tony Clark