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| Peregrine in her back garden |
The Peregrine Falcon as a raptor species has suffered from human persecution for years, so it is splendid to discover a nesting pair in a remote area of the Cairngorms National Park. I had visited this location last year in late summer but there was no evidence that these birds were resident then. The male falcon girns noisily as it darts on scythe shaped wings between the rocky buttresses and then by pulling these daggered wings in to its body forms an aerodynamic heart shaped outline that stoops dramatically down to land on a towering, lichen encrusted pinnacle. The female remains hidden on the nest but answers her mate with a dull crescendo of calls in excited anticipation of the prey delivery that is still gripped in the male's talons. Impatiently she moves to the edge of the nest ledge and takes off to retrieve the prey from the male. She swoops back and forth along the crags for a minute to exercise those eager wings before the male's urge to hunt again sends him skywards to disappear over the hill tops to seek out more young Meadow Pipit or Wheatear fledglings to feed a growing family of 'girnie grines'.
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| Peregrine with prey |
I am so pleased to find a new and unlikely territory for these rare mountain dwelling birds because nowadays there is more chance of seeing a falcon in a town centre than on the cliffs of the highlands. An adaptable species maybe but, like many raptors under threat, their natural territories are being marginalised to less desirable locations because of the increase in outdoor pursuits like climbing and hill-walking, but desertion of traditional nesting territories is still mainly due to grouse moor management. Most days I can watch a Peregrine from my house in the town, nevertheless to see these birds enjoy their freedom in the wild and mountainous highlands sends my heart racing every time and furthers a belief that there is a justifiable place left for these magnificent falcons on shooting estates if a natural balance is found and accepted.
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| Dwarf Cornel, the obvious petals are leafy bracts |
The Cairngorms National Park is rich in montane wild flowers and some of the ones that I found today include the wonderful and uncommon Dwarf Cornel, the marsh dwelling Bog Stitchwort, the tiny pink flowered Trailing Azalea, the tall white flowers of Mossy Saxifrage, a late flush of Purple Saxifrage, the diminutive Alpine Meadow Rue, the flouncy pink Cuckoo Flower, the multi-coloured Mountain Pansy, a cliff terrace hosting masses of yellow Globeflower, the cactus like Roseroot, carpets of ground hugging Dwarf Willow, the serrated leaves of Holly Fern with their fronds uncurling, the Alpine Lady-fern sheltering between scree rocks and the sprouting leaves of Dwarf Cudweed.
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| Dwarf Willow |
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| Mossy Saxifrage |
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| Golden Eagle passing by |
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| Golden Eagle pair |
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| Holly Fern |
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| Roseroot |
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| Bog Stitchwort |
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| Dwarf Cudweed |
Notes;
All sketches and photos are done on the day and are copyright.
girns / girnie - Scots for annoyed complaining or moaning.
Please be aware that it is illegal to disturb nesting eagles or other raptors and you may do so inadvertently in your journeys into the highlands. I do not recommend searching for any of the species mentioned in this blog because this may cause undue disturbance to them. With my knowledge of the areas described I can locate and observe protected species at a respectful distance usually from about 1000 metres for short periods of time only.
No map for conservation reasons and no wildlife was unduly or knowingly disturbed by my presence or for the purposes of this web page other than what would be expected on a normal hill walk
