Daylight robbery

This is my second season working as an information assistant for the Lake District Osprey Project. Obviously spending most days up at the Osprey viewpoint throughout the spring and summer overlooking Bassenthwaite NNR, an area outstanding for birds, increases your chance of seeing other interesting birds apart from Osprey, as well as unusual behaviour amongst resident breeders.

On Saturday 11th May we were in for a double treat. Before officially opening to the public we usually scan the marsh and shoreline for anything of interest – particularly if the Ospreys appear settled. Today amongst the usual Mallard, Goosander and Greylag it was nice to see a male Wigeon on the spit of land separating Bridges Hole from the lake, and I then zoomed in on a diminutive duck. I was delighted to see the distinctive pale crescent-shaped eyestripe of a male Garganey, a Cumbrian first for me (and possibly a new record for Bassenthwaite Lake).

The female Osprey laid her first egg the day before, and not surprisingly the mood up at the viewpoint was nothing short of jubilant. The presence of the Garganey and the beautiful weather we were enjoying helped to instil a feeling of wellbeing. As I sat on the verge of the forest track at lunchtime enjoying the sun and a particularly tasty pork-pie my attention was diverted from this tasty morsel by the sound of a Peregrine calling above. The pie was hurriedly substituted by binoculars, enabling me to see the tiercel carrying what appeared to be a pigeon less than a hundred feet above the Dodd Wood viewpoint. Staff and visitors marvelled at what they next saw. A Buzzard flew towards the Peregrine, and then – instead of the expected ineffectual mobbing by the Buzzard – the Peregrine surprisingly let go of his prey as soon the Buzzard got in close proximity, allowing the Buzzard to catch the prey in mid-air, and fly off with an easily-earned meal. The amazing thing about this incident was the lack of any heated interaction, and the willingness of the tiercel to timidly give up his prey in what appeared to be a fairly casual approach by the Buzzard.

Certainly I have never witnessed such behaviour; I would be interested to hear from anyone who has seen anything like this.

Peter Ullrich