There may be trouble ahead...

With the easterlies we had the past 2 weeks the peregrines have deserted their favourite perches, as they usually do in these circumstances. It appears that they don't like having the wind blowing in their faces if they can help it... But I still check the hospital to see if they are around.
Friday afternoon, we were coming back from Hammersmith when I noticed a shape on one of the perches. It felt too small to be one of its usual occupants, but I did not have either binoculars or camera with me to make sure. I picked those up and rushed back and took these photos:


I think I have been spotted...

Let's have a stretch...

Now, I could count the number of times I had seen a kestrel around here this year on one hand, actually just 2 fingers... But the second time was the previous day when I had seen a spot emerging from the direction of the Wetland Centre and getting bigger, flying and hovering, and then spending a fair amount of time around the hospital.

At the beginning of this afternoon, I was in Margravine Cemetery (trying without success to locate the crickets/grasshoppers/whatever I could hear in the grass) when my attention got caught by birds flying around the hospital. Some were pigeons, but some were not: 2 Kestrels! Again? and 1 more? When they settled I took a few photos, even though the angles at which I had to take them mean they're not too great:


The same one after it had turned on its spot.

And the second one.

Then the second one flew away and I lost it for a while, but when I found it again, I then noticed another 2 higher up:

Yes, there are 3 on this photo, the 3rd one is hiding behind the aerial pole.

Another angle, and there you can see the third one (but not the first one...)

I had to get to the shop and when I came back the first 2 had moved next to each other:

You can still see the 3rd one above.


Now, lots of ifs I know, but if they intend to stay around and if the peregrines come back, there may be trouble ahead...