Bowes and Bounds Connected

A Community Network for Bowes Park and Bounds Green

Ally Pally Ornithology

As the schools were closed yesterday I took a day off with the family and went tobogganing down the Ally Pally slopes with some of the kids' school friends.

Late in the afternoon one of the fellow "school dads" a keen Twitcher or bird spotter pointed out a majestic looking bird swooping across the front of Alexandra Palace and pursuing a pigeon down the hillside towards the Hornsey gasometer.

It was correctly identified as a young Peregrine Falcon - a remarkable site to see, in front of me - I was delighted to find that several images had been captured by local photographer and Friend of Alexandra Park StephenMid:
>see the images on Flickr

Here's one of the magnificent and rare bird. Stephen's photo shows "nature red in tooth and claw" as the Peregrine Falcon devours a meal of Feral  Pigeon.

 

This second image shows the location of the bird on the facade of Alexandra Palce just to the east of the rose window.

Peregrine Falcons are usually found nesting in a "scrape" normally on cliff edges I wonder if we might be getting a new resident and exciting addition to the ornithology of Ally Pally?

I hope so.

 

Tags: alexandra palace, ally pally, bird, ornithology, peregrine falcon

Views: 402

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Emmeline Beazley on January 23, 2013 at 0:11

Great to find out what that is - I see it all the time down by the racetrack in a particular tree.  :-)

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on January 23, 2013 at 2:42

Brilliant news; whereabouts is the tree or is that too difficult to describe? Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on January 23, 2013 at 7:04

Sounds like that was same pigeon that I saw it carrying up to the Palace at 3:50pm on Monday.

I was standing on the terrace looking out over London when I heard a great screeching and the Peregrine Falcon swept towards me carrying the dead pigeon before landing on the Palace and eating its prize. An impressive sight.

Experts seem to think that it is an immature male. Apparently 5 or so years back they nested at the back of the Palace. Anyone interested in Peregrine Falcon in London, there are a couple of websites:

http://www.london-peregrine-partnership.org.uk twitter:   (run by local  )

http://www.fabperegrines.org.uk/ twitter:

It would indeed by superb if it stays around.

Permalink Reply by Lindsey Clarke on January 23, 2013 at 8:41

Fantastic!! 

Permalink Reply by Kate Franzmann on January 23, 2013 at 15:19

Great News.  I always wondered when they would arrive.  I saw a speedy hawk chasing a smaller one early in the morning a few weeks ago but could not identify it.  A peregrine famlly has nested on the Tate Modern Building for some years.- which, if you are a falcon is not very far away. Perhaps this is one of their young who cannot afford inner city rents.  Our gain

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on January 24, 2013 at 15:04

Check out the RSPB stall by the Boating Lake on Sunday 11am to 2pm.

http://www.bowesandbounds.org/events/rspb-big-gardenbirdwatch-in-al...

Permalink Reply by Laura Davenport on January 25, 2013 at 13:17

Amazing, thanks for sharing photos.

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on February 4, 2013 at 17:54
Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on February 4, 2013 at 20:53

Wow!

Thanks for sharing these terrific photographs Stephen  this one is particularly beautiful>

Permalink Reply by Stephen Middleton on February 4, 2013 at 18:44

And another update just in....

This male peregrine is the sole offspring from last year of the breeding pair on the Tate Modern.

Permalink Reply by TomJH on February 4, 2013 at 19:18

Wow - right on our doorstep. Great pictures.

Permalink Reply by Mat Riches on February 5, 2013 at 10:46

Great pics Stephen, thanks for sharing. Out of curiosity, how did you find out such good info on it's background? My dad's a twitcher visiting in a few weeks and I can smell brownie points in the air with this one!

RSS

Advertisement

Support this site

We operate as a volunteer community project, accepting advertising helps cover our costs.
Whilst it's cheap to run the site - it's not free. If you can help - please consider making a donation.

My Bowes Park

Read about the amazing local history project by Sound Delivery.

Forum

Emergency plumber anyone?

Started by Susie Holden in Community News and Information. Last reply by Richard McKeever 10 hours ago. 1 Reply

Local pest control company?

Started by Suellen edgar in Questions / Help / Advice. Last reply by Susie Holden 10 hours ago. 1 Reply

Haringey - a borough-wide 20MPH speed limit?

Started by Administrator in Traffic, Roads and Parking. Last reply by Mandy Norman 12 hours ago. 9 Replies

Latest Newsletter from the Bowes Park Community Association

Started by Administrator in Residents and community group news 14 hours ago. 0 Replies

Dog Attack on Footpath to Bowes Park station

Started by Rachael Shepherd in Policing , Crime and Community Safety. Last reply by Kate Franzmann 18 hours ago. 7 Replies

Events

Groups

© 2013   Created by Richard McKeever.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

Sign in to chat!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...