Whilst walking along the banks of the River Tone at North curry I noticed that some Mallards and Teal were very nervous and breaking from the water at the slightest disturbance. After leaning on a gate for a few minutes I spotted a very large female peregrine flying very swiftly at about 50ft and then alighting on a tree.
As we moved along the bank up went some more wildfowl and this time my glasses were transfixed as the Peregrine took to the sky and pursued the ducks into the headwind and then amazingly the Peregrine banked very sharpishly towards us as a Teal turned back downwind trying escape the Peregrine. With stunning anticipation and speed the Peregrine took the Teal on the rise from underneath and with the subsequent blast of feathers the poor bird was rendered completely helpless only to be carried away on the wing to a nearby field to be consumed with great relish.
I have seen near misses before by Peregrines on West Sedgemoor using the same technique so to see one so close
carrying this out with such precision was a truly wonderful sight.
