There were high levels of excitement at the Cathedral yesterday. In recent days the Peregrine family have (with the exception of one reluctant juvenile) spent each morning away from the building, presumably involved in hunting lessons for the youngsters. During one such period a lone male adult Peregrine appeared above the Cathedral and was soon investigating the nest site and surrounding pinnacles. After observing the bird’s leg-ring (Green #34) it was realised that this was none other than the male displaced from its territory at Sussex Heights in Brighton by one of the Chichester birds’ offspring last year. Everyone watching was alarmed as one of this year’s youngsters was perched on the far side of the spire from the interloper, but fortunately for the juvenile in question the Brighton bird appeared not to notice her.
The new arrival came and went from the building several times during the morning and nobody could be sure that he had not displaced the Chichester birds earlier in the morning. At around two normal service was resumed however, as Green #34 flew off to the south east, and shortly after his leaving the Chichester male adult returned carrying prey with a juvenile female in tow. The two birds performed a spectacular food-pass above Millets, and then both settled upon the Cathedral as normal.
Now the wait begins to see if the displaced male will appear again, and if he will contest the territory with the current inhabitants.