Drama on the Beach

Peregrine Falcon photo by Tim Bray.

At the mouth of Virgin Creek, this young Peregrine Falcon suddenly strafed a gull flock, sending them flying. It then wheeled and flew straight at me, before swerving to briefly harass some Oystercatchers, and then repeatedly dove at a Whimbrel flying low over the water - causing the shorebird to crash into a breaking wave. The Whimbrel was unable to regain flight (and the falcon was still harrying it anyway) and soon drowned. The falcon then landed on a rock and waited for the waves to bring its prey onto the beach. Peregrine Falcons are famous for their high-speed vertical “stoop” onto prey, but this one used a less well-known strategy of repeated U-shaped dives to harry its prey. Other falcons have also been seen killing prey on water and then waiting for current to bring it ashore.

The falcon appears to be one of the four young fledged from a nest at Todd Point this summer. It is on the small side even for a male and has been nicknamed “Little Guy” by Lisa Walker, who has been seeing it since it was a fluffball in the nest.