Ever More The Raven Soar

The Peregrines were in good form today, and although not particularly close they were active and gave some good views.

The male (at least I think it's the male) sat fairly high up the cliff and made use of various perching points. I noticed that he often seems to sit with his left foot tucked up, I don't know if it is damaged or it is a normal resting position.

One of the problems of watching, when the sun is shining, when they fly along the cliff the shadow is deceptive and sometimes I find that I miss the bird and follow the shadow instead. I quite like the shadow above. I shows the bird completely inverted with the talons at the top, rather like a reflection.

Meanwhile the female was much lower down the cliff. She made several sorties out to sea, but as far as I could see she didn't return with prey.

There are lots of jackdaws breeding on these cliffs, but I've seen no interaction at all, perhaps the Peregrines don't take them for some reason. Jackdaws certainly kick up quite a fuss when the Ravens come by. All the time I was at the cliff I was watching out for the Ravens and walked to Fan Bay hoping that I'd see them. I did get a quick view of one flying inland, being mobbed by two crows. When I got back to my car I drove towards the "White Cliffs" car park, so that I could take a look at the water trough opposite the Radar Station, as a couple of weeks ago I saw a Peregrine drinking here as I drove past.

No Peregrine, but there were two Ravens here. By the time I'd parked and walked back the Raven had flown a couple of fields back.

As I walked over I could see the field had a lot of Corvids, both Carrion Crows and Rooks as well as well as Jackdaws and Magpies were feeding there, but dominating the scene were six Ravens.

As I waked across they were moving around and chasing each other quite a lot. One came close over my head and eventually four settled back near the trough. I think these were probably all youngsters, because and adult flew over calling loudly, and obediently the all got up in the air and followed their leader.

Well, if the Tower of London can boast of it's tame Ravens the Dover Castle can be proud that it has Wild Raven within a croak of it.

Even More the Raven Soar is a poem by Michael Gale.