Tercel on the nest ledge.  For those interested in photograph….. taken with a 500 lens with 2 stacked  1.4 converters to get in close. Mirror up on the camera, a small image which helps to eliminate noise and remote shutter release to ensure that the there is absolutely no movement. (Note the blood on the talon?)  Distance at least 75 metres.  The more I look at this image the more I like it!

(My note from the hide yesterday.)

Its early March but spring is on the way and nesting activity is already taking place particularly the early nesters such as Dipper and of course the Peregrines that I have a Schedule 1 License to photograph. Here is the details from yesterday's exciting session.  (On MondayI had seen the Falcon (female that is) on last years nest ledge which was really good.)

(My notes from the hide yesterday.)   "When I arrived it was overcast and damp, unlike yesterday when the conditions had been bright and sunny. It was going to be interesting to see if yesterday’s spring-like weather had induced interest in breeding and if today's dullness would literally dampen their ardour. On arrival there was no sight or sound of peregrines.  Therefore, I was a little surprised when, after 15 minutes or so, I heard a peregrine using the "clucking call."  The clucking call is associated with breeding activity and I have heard it regularly this year. I suspected that the falcon was about to arrive but I was wrong. There, on the ledge was the tercel!  It stayed for no more than two minutes but remained silent, you can see how he behaved in the video.  After it had flown off I could hear it calling in the woodland opposite with the usual "scream" call. This was an interesting couple of minutes because it proved that both sexes use this call.  The video shows that a short while later, the falcon arrived on the ledge.  After being extremely cautious for several minutes, she walked on to the nest and began to form the nest hollow using her feet to scratch out the earth and then her body to form the shape."