I wouldn’t worry about it, Peregrines take a lot of homing pigeons. They’re probably used to losing a few.
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The Grey Plover has remained in the Funzie area long enough for it to moult into full breeding plumage. I would imagine it will leave very soon as they usually breed in June (in the high Arctic)
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We have Peregrine chicks that have hatched on our town hall which is brilliant. Judging from the very neatly eviscerated pigeon carcass that was by the bike stands under their roost a week or so ago the pair are definitely efficient enough hunters to raise a brood well…
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I don’t know if anybody else uses the Merlin Bird ID app, but I have always found it brilliant. I’m certainly knowhere near knowledgeable enough to question it’s identifications but the times that I have checked an unusual or new to me ID it has been right, except for today, when it seems to have shat itself.
Three separate times it has told me that I can hear a Short-toed Treecreeper while sitting in my garden in Luton. When I have played the audio associated with the bird, it certainly sounds the same as what I was hearing, but apparently they don’t visit UK mainland, so something seems amiss.
Obviously I haven’t seen the bird, either. Kept me amused though.
My SiL visiting a couple of weeks ago was using it & identifying all sorts at nearby Lydford Gorge including oddities (to me) like a night jar. It also had an amusing feature in being able to talk back to the birds in their voices which did seem to sometimes provoke a further response!
I don’t know the talk back feature but I will give it a try.
If you really want to commune with the wildlife go to one of these evenings.
I went a few years ago and it was a wondeful experience.
Vanishingly small chance of that in Luton ~24 records in Britain…
Not a practice “I” would approve of, migrants have a tough enough time getting here and finding a mate without wasting time and energy communicating with bogus calls from an AI programme.
I tried Merlin for nothing other than a bit of fun to see how reliable it is. It was reasonably accurate, with a few exceptions. The reason I don’t like it is that it takes away any incentive to actually identify birds in the field, either visually or by song/call. I’ve said it before but there are no short cuts if you really want to “learn” bird ID
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Exactly what I suspected.
One of the world’s most valuable books goes on display in Glasgow Birds of America: One of the world's most valuable books goes on display in Glasgow - BBC News
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I’d love to see that!
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Great Northern Divers are regular here and all through the Winter I see them in their drab non-breeding plumage.
Some of them are transitioning to breeding plumage now
And a few are 99% of the way there
Very smart birds.
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I’ve already dropped them a mail to see if I can arrange a visit. It’s only about ten minutes walk from my office. I’ve passed the building many times as it’s about 100 yards along the road from King Tuts, my favourite small live music venue.
Found an American Wigeon today, just the second record for Fetlar (only previous record was Feb 1993)
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Great photos!!
Whimbrel calling from almost every corner of the island now, these were just outside my garden
Dunlin have arrived in good numbers now and are already displaying on the mires
The American Wigeon was stiil at Houbie although quite mobile and appeared on Papil Water a couple of times
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Heartwarming
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