The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Amazingly we've just received a report in the BTO office of a Quail leg found underneath a nest of a Lincs Peregrine. Pretty bizarre as is, but even more so was that it was carrying a Belgian ring!

In 100 years, we've only ringed 59 Quail, generating two recoveries. This is also our first ever foreign movement of Quail.

Nice

Mark G

Mark

Can you tell us more? Age of Quail, where it was ringed, approx date of demise etc? Great stuff!

John

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Lincolnshire Birds https://www.flickr.com/photos/120340949 ... 8078912016
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Contact: recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

See http://btoringing.blogspot.com/2009/07/ ... -prey.html for full details...

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/

As far as I can see that's exactly the info given above, nothing further!

John

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Lincolnshire Birds https://www.flickr.com/photos/120340949 ... 8078912016
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Contact: recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

John,

Below is from the LNU bulletin.

"GRANTHAM. - David Clarke
A friend was watching the Peregrine Falcons on St Wulfrum's Church
Grantham a few weeks ago and noticed something fall down from the
church from where the birds were sitting.
He retrieved what was left of a small bird and on the only leg left
was a ring. The bird was a female Quail ringed on the 10-05-2009 at
TIELT WEST-VLAANDEREN BELGIUM.
I had an email from Belgium explaining that Quail are rung at night
when they are on migration to the UK. One ringer caught and rung over
two hundred Quail this year."

Bob Sheppard and I collected the prey remains at the end of May when the Peregrine chicks were ringed at St Wulframs. These were sent off to Ed Drewitt at Bristol Zoo for analysis and contained the following:-

Woodcock 6
Teal 5
Blackbird 7
Golden Plover 5 or 6
Fieldfare 1
Lapwing 1
Common Tern 1
Black-headed Gull 2
Starling 2+
Chaffinch 1
Knot 1
Collared dove 1
Feral pigeon 6+
Little Grebe 1
Redwing 2
Snipe 1

One leg was of particular interest and has gone for further identification as it was thought that it could be a Dotterel (but Knot has yet to be eliminated)

As Peregrines are know to regularly hunt in the dark after dusk, it is most likely that the Quail (along with the Little Grebe, Teal and woodcock etc) was taken at night when on passage.

Alan

Thanks Alan, that's really interesting.

John

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Lincolnshire Birds https://www.flickr.com/photos/120340949 ... 8078912016
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Contact: recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

Very interesting , I remember about 25 years ago in nw scotland doing some golden eagle eyrie survey and remains of peregrine found at one eyrie!. cheers John.

also a study on the nest remains of peregrines nesting at derby cathederal several years ago produced very similar results. the variety of prey, mostly non town birds was unexpected and it was the first time i had heard of peregrine hunting at night on migrating species, and my simple thoughts were when peregrine started to breed in towns was hmm plenty of pigeons around, you never stop learning, nature just keeps evolving.

terry whalin

also see Diet and Prey selection of urban-dwelling Peregrine Falcons in southwest England by Edward J A Drewitt and Nick Dixon British Birds Vol 101 Feb 2008 p58-67

The list of prey also includes Quail with Black-necked Grebe, Ruddy Duck, Leach's Petrel, Corn Crake, Knot, Jack Snipe, Little Tern, Roseate Tern, Little Auk, Little Owl, Dipper culled from a long and interesting list;
Everyone should subscribe to British Birds it really is interesting reading and out expat Roger should be supported!

This has been a good thread and surely the sort of thing that the forum should be aiming at and encouraging -- lets put the past failing behind us and get back to some interesting and meaningful birding posts

Fully agree with that statement Graham. John.