peregrines are back (briefly)

As soon as I stepped outside at 7:20 yesterday morning to do a patch walk I glimpse what looked like a peregrine flying along the north side of the hospital. It was rather unexpected as I had not seen the pair on their usual perches over the past 2 weeks. Not that I really expected them to while we had the easterly winds (which are a blessing as they bring a temporary stop to the planes flying above us on their way to Heathrow, but they also mean no peregrines at the spots I can easily see from home). As soon as I reached Fulham Palace Road, they were unmissable on the parapet of the top floor balcony, above the main entrance.


The male is on the left, and the female on the right tucking in what looked like a pigeon.
I kept on checking on them while on the Thames Path whenever I could get a line of sight, and one hour later the female appeared to have finished her meal and was sitting slightly below the parapet.



On my way back at 10, I noticed the male was eating on the parapet:



and the female looked utterly stuffed:



Last Saturday, I had gone to Westminster in the hope to see the pair there and thought initially that I was going to come back empty handed. After an initial fruitless check, I went to the middle of Westminster Bridge and had a look around. Just gulls, and a kestrel mobbed by magpies and crows by a building near Charing Cross Station, until I picked up a peregrine crossing the river, only to fly into the sun on the other side where I lost it. Didn't see it cross back, but I thought I'd have a last look before leaving, and where before there was none, there was one, having a scratch and a preen:




It went for a quick fly round and settled back on the same spot: