Williamson's Weekly Nature Notes
THE Chichester Cathedral peregrines are now under close surveillance at their nest in the turret and last week I was able to see the falcon (female) handing over incubation to the tiercel (male) while she went off for a wash and brush-up.
They are a devoted pair, this being their ninth year together and hopefully their eighth successful family.
They are the most successful known pair in the UK, with only two egg failures out of 28, and probably have another four or five years of life left, barring accidents. Chichester is one of the best places to be as far as food gathering is concerned.
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Hide AdA lot of woodcock were consumed in the winter from local woodlands after the heavy fall of these birds from eastern Europe and Russia because of easterly winds.
Woodcock fly out at late dusk from the woods every night to feed on earthworms in meadowland and that is when the peregrine would have pounced.
For full feature see West Sussex Gazette April 30