halftwo
Wird Batcher
And then the sun came out, busting colours from the autumn and warming the cold moors. A pair of Stonechats perched plumply on the gorse tops.
Redwings and Fieldfares were dropping from the clearing sky towards the trees and into cover.
From the top the cough of a Raven pitched over the ridge and it turned to dive at something close to the heather. Two more calls reached around the hill and the Raven rose again, and with it came a Goshawk.
This rare and elusive bird harried the Raven, and in turn the Raven countered. They circled, Lion and Hyaena, with respect, almost touching as they tried for the advantage. The Raven turned belly up and back in a flash, the hawk dipping to keep with it.
A minute and the encounter was over. They separated. The Goshawk rose into the wind, secondaries bulging and tail fanning and twisting as it steered. Too soon it drifted away towards the sun. Gone.
Kestrels hovered above the moor. Red Grouse burped.
Suddenly a Peregrine appeared from nowhere and was amongst the smaller falcons. Most scattered but one took on the Peregrine, flying at it and following, losing it as it stooped at speed at a passing Redwing. The Peregrine made off into the huge sky and circled ever upwards - then disappeared into the cloud.
Two minutes and the Kestrel is stationed below the ridge as the Peregrine reappears, closing fast. A hundred yards off and the Kestrel begins to flee but the larger falcon has twice its speed.
At the last the Kestrel jinks away and the Peregrine has missed, but turns and stoops at the Kestrel, following and easily closing until right upon its prey. The Kestrel twists away and out-turns but still the predator turns again.
From fifty yards the Peregrine makes for the Kestrel and seems to anticipate its prey, diving below its line, knowing the Kestrel needs to dive for speed. But, though the Kestrel speeds steeply and rapidly , the Peregrine easily catches up and makes for a kill, but once again the Kestrel's swerve just keeps it out of reach.
Twice more the falcons close and twice more the Peregrine fails to kill, giving up the struggle to make for the skies high above.
Here, back on land, a flock of Goldfinches swirls up and a Sparrowhawk slips between Rowen and Bilberries. But the heart is still amongst the clouds.
Redwings and Fieldfares were dropping from the clearing sky towards the trees and into cover.
From the top the cough of a Raven pitched over the ridge and it turned to dive at something close to the heather. Two more calls reached around the hill and the Raven rose again, and with it came a Goshawk.
This rare and elusive bird harried the Raven, and in turn the Raven countered. They circled, Lion and Hyaena, with respect, almost touching as they tried for the advantage. The Raven turned belly up and back in a flash, the hawk dipping to keep with it.
A minute and the encounter was over. They separated. The Goshawk rose into the wind, secondaries bulging and tail fanning and twisting as it steered. Too soon it drifted away towards the sun. Gone.
Kestrels hovered above the moor. Red Grouse burped.
Suddenly a Peregrine appeared from nowhere and was amongst the smaller falcons. Most scattered but one took on the Peregrine, flying at it and following, losing it as it stooped at speed at a passing Redwing. The Peregrine made off into the huge sky and circled ever upwards - then disappeared into the cloud.
Two minutes and the Kestrel is stationed below the ridge as the Peregrine reappears, closing fast. A hundred yards off and the Kestrel begins to flee but the larger falcon has twice its speed.
At the last the Kestrel jinks away and the Peregrine has missed, but turns and stoops at the Kestrel, following and easily closing until right upon its prey. The Kestrel twists away and out-turns but still the predator turns again.
From fifty yards the Peregrine makes for the Kestrel and seems to anticipate its prey, diving below its line, knowing the Kestrel needs to dive for speed. But, though the Kestrel speeds steeply and rapidly , the Peregrine easily catches up and makes for a kill, but once again the Kestrel's swerve just keeps it out of reach.
Twice more the falcons close and twice more the Peregrine fails to kill, giving up the struggle to make for the skies high above.
Here, back on land, a flock of Goldfinches swirls up and a Sparrowhawk slips between Rowen and Bilberries. But the heart is still amongst the clouds.
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